


We’ll Go Forward and Beyond

by Striker_of_Chords



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Barbarian Mondo, Character Development, Cleric Chihiro, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fighter/Bard Leon, Gen, Leon and Chihiro are MAIN CHARACTERS, M/M, Male Pronouns for Fujisaki Chihiro, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paladin Kiyotaka, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 55,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25139836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Striker_of_Chords/pseuds/Striker_of_Chords
Summary: That fateful day, four adventurers from different worlds entered that dungeon for different reasons. They couldn’t have anticipated the path they’d set themselves on, the trials they’d face, and the threads drawing them together.Trigger Happy Havoc Fantasy AU.
Relationships: Fujisaki Chihiro & Ishimaru Kiyotaka & Kuwata Leon & Oowada Mondo, Ishimaru Kiyotaka/Oowada Mondo, Kuwata Leon/Maizono Sayaka
Comments: 59
Kudos: 120





	1. Beginnings Part 1

Mondo Owada was a man who was never content with standing still. One could say he thrived off of the constant movement. Oftentimes, his mouth moved faster than his thoughts did, and his greataxe moved faster still. After all, he was a barbarian of the cold northern mountains; that was the way they lived. 

At the start of this tale, he wasn’t in those mountains anymore; instead, he stood alone, staring down a cave somewhere in the green plains of Espairia. The people in the town nearby had said that one would either need a case of morbid curiosity or a death wish to go into the so-called “Pit of Despair”. It could be argued that Mondo was in both categories, but if someone asked him in the moment, he’d simply have attributed it to boredom.

He was out of practice, and a good fight was what he needed to fill the void. Anyone or anything doubting him should prepare for a face full of axe. He smirked to himself, lighting a torch and entering the cave.

The path was steep and winding, just barely lit with the light he held. The air felt thick with the moisture of a recent rainfall, weighing down on him. He took each step with care, aware that one wrong movement could be detrimental. None of this was foreign to him, sure, but there were definitely places he’d rather have been in. Back in the cold, among the men of his tribe.

He had to admit, he missed them, at least a little bit. They were the ones who taught him how to fight, and to change his rage to something more than just empty anger. They made him strong, and he wasn’t going to let them down, especially now that Daiya wasn’t there to lead them. He had to prove that—

_Thump._ Mondo spun around, brandishing his axe. “Who’s there?! Come and fight me!” His shout was met with the quiet _drip drip_ _drip_ of the cave. He crept to the source of the sound, eyes searching for any sign of an aggressor. Nothing. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade. He jumped around the corner to see… an abandoned camp, with an empty tent and unlit fire. Whatever was living there looked like it hadn’t been around for a while, since the place looked terrible. He gave one last glance around before returning his weapon to its place. _Tch. Maybe I’m getting paranoid._

Sitting down on the ground, he reached for the waterskin on his hip, when  _ it _ caught his eye. A small doll-like figure, made of clay, dressed with a green fabric cloak. It had precisely painted brown hair, and an almost human-like face, with closed eyes and a gentle frown. Mondo picked it up. 

“What’re you doing here, little guy?” He paused, somehow expecting a reply. It didn’t come. He clicked his tongue. “You looked a little out of place here in this… camp? Or somethin’?” He looked around at the surrounding area, before looking back at the doll. “Whatever, doesn’t matter. This cave is apparently full of some dark shit, so I’m kinda tense right now. ...I dunno why I’m trying to talk to you because you’re not talking back.” 

Silence. Mondo gave himself a reminder to meet some actual people so he wouldn’t have to talk to dolls like a crazy person. He glanced one last time at the doll, before sighing and placing it down. As much as it looked nice and he would have liked to take it with him, he knew that he’d probably end up crushing it or something like that. He was never really good at being gentle. Plus, what use would he have for a doll? He shot himself another reminder that he was being stupid. 

He walked back to the entrance of the passage, but not before turning around. He said a short goodbye to the doll in an attempt to wrap up the conversation between them. If it could even be called that. With that done, he went back on his way. 

A few hours passed before anything remotely interesting happened. Within that time, Mondo found himself getting sick of the rhythmic dripping of the leaking ceiling and the thump of his boots on the ground as he traveled down, down, down. It was a huge relief when he finally found some sign of progress: an old wooden door at the end of the cavern. With some effort (and an excess of mumbled profanity) he was able to force the door open. 

As he tumbled to the floor, the first thing that registered was the state of the room. It looked like some sort of library, with some lit torches, derelict bookshelves, scraps of torn pages and pieces of furniture tossed around. Though, tossed was an understatement; the bits were scattered around, broken into tiny pieces. There was obviously a fight here. A violent one. Upon looking up from the ground, Mondo let out an involuntary shout when he saw what was in front of him.

A woman. Dwarven, dark brown hair. Slumped in the corner, eyes cold. Despite the fact that he was an experienced fighter, seeing death itself still filled Mondo with a deep sense of fear. Still in shock, he crouched beside her. The dwarf’s expression was frozen in one of panic, eyes and mouth widened. Her body was covered in countless wounds, with her blood having pooled around her, as well as being scattered around the general area. Whoever— no,  _ whatever _ had killed her had given no pity. Mondo’s heart pounded in his ears. A small part of his mind screamed at him to stay away from the  _ thing  _ that did this. And yet… he knew that the one who’s responsible for this… they had to pay. He closed the woman’s eyes, and lowered his head. However, the silence didn’t last for long. 

“Stop right where you are!” A commanding voice cut through the silence, from right behind him. Mondo’s eyes shot open. Probably not more than six feet away. They took a step forward, the sound heavy. Whoever this was, they were probably well-armored. Mondo cursed himself for letting himself off of his guard.

“Who the fuck’s asking?” He deepened his voice, attempting to sound threatening. 

“I don’t know who you are.”  _ Step _ . Mondo gritted his teeth. “And I don’t want to have to fight you.”  _ Step _ . He’s not more than three feet away. “But if you are responsible for what happened here…”  _ Step.  _ The barbarian’s hand moved slowly, carefully towards the blade at his side.

“...then I will not hesitate to strike you down.” The man was right behind him now. His hand tightened. _ It’s now or never. _ With a bold yell, the barbarian spun around, preparing to strike the stranger’s legs. 

The man jumped back, surprised, allowing Mondo to get a quick look at him. A human, dressed fully in white armor, brandishing a large sword and shield. He had short black hair, pale skin, and wide, strikingly red eyes. Eyes which narrowed quickly as the man prepared to fight back. The barbarian quickly drew his axe, smirking.  _ Now this is what I came for! _

“By the name of Tyr, I will uphold the word of justice, I call upon thee...” the man held his sword in front of him, murmuring a prayer. The weapon began to glow.  _ Ah, a paladin. Aka, a morally righteous nutjob.  _ The stranger in white’s eyes snapped open, and he lunged at the barbarian. 

Mondo bolted to the right. The man followed. The brunette swung his axe, and was intercepted by the man’s shield. The momentum of the attack made him stumble forward, but he caught his balance just in time to dodge the paladin’s next strike. There they fought, striking back and forth. Mondo had to say he was a little impressed. He felt almost evenly matched. The barbarian threw a kick at the paladin’s leg, causing him to fall back. He yelped, and pushed Mondo, causing both to fall to the floor. Mondo picked himself off the ground, panting. 

“You know… I’ve always had a hatred for your... type,” the man pulled himself up, picking up his sword and shield.

“The hell’s that s’posed to mean?” Mondo clenched his jaw, looking the stranger in the eyes.

“You... use violence at your own disposal. It’s cowardly. You fight for no reason other than your freedom to do so, because somehow, that entertains you. It’s… sickening! It’s almost… like you don’t feel anything at all!” Mondo’s nerve softened at the last comment. _Don’t even feel…?_ _That’s bullshit._ “And then you hurt people weaker than you, and even _kill—_ “

“Hey, ya fucking paladin!” The man stopped talking, shooting a glare at the barbarian. “I dunno what the hell you think of me, but you’ve got some facts all outta order.” 

“Oh really? I would like to hear it.”

“Well, your  _ first _ fuck up was when you said I don’t feel. ‘cause you’re wrong. I feel a lot, actually! And right about now, I’m feeling pretty damn fed up with your moral righteousness.” The stranger in white frowned. He obviously wasn’t winning any points here, but who’s counting?

“Another thing, I don’t go ‘round fighting whoever! See, I like fighting, ya got that part right, but what’s the damn point if it’s not someone who can match you? I fought you cuz I found you annoying, but also cuz you obviously knew your shit.”

The paladin looked back at him. “...And yet, you’re still a killer.”

“I-I…”

“Like that woman in the corner that you murdered. Brutally.”  _ What? Oh, her. Wait, what the hell? _

“Hey, hold on a sec! You’re wrong!”

“Oh?” The man rolled his eyes. “Do you expect me to believe you?”

“W-well, yeah! Because I wouldn’t—” Mondo prepared to explain himself, when a screech rang out, bouncing through the narrow passages. The two men spun around, towards the source of the yell. It came from the door out of the room.

“Gah! Nonono…” The paladin’s expression switched in an instant from one of anger to one of panic. “I’m not too late… I can’t be too late!” As if their battle had never happened, the stranger sprinted off, pushing the door open with all of his might, leaving a perplexed Mondo in his wake.

—————

Kiyotaka Ishimaru believed in many things. He believed in hard work, and how people can go great lengths if they put in the effort. He believed in honor, and how people should treat others how they want to be treated. He believed in duty, and how people should be responsible for their decisions, and the consequences they bring. 

As he ran through the narrow dungeon passages, he scolded himself for forgetting his duty to destroy the evil in that cave. It was foolish of him to get distracted by that man in the library, foolish to waste his time reprimanding him, foolish to—  _ No, I can’t let myself get distracted _ . He could focus on his idiocy later, when he made it out of this cursed cave. The screaming (which he registered was a man’s voice) was getting closer, and he could hear the storming steps of a group behind. It was concerning, but Kiyotaka wasn’t afraid to defeat them; after all, it was what he was here to do in the first place. With all the force he could muster, he pushed the two doors at the end of the hallway open. 

“OH GOD THE DOORS CLOSE THE GODDAMN DOORS!” Kiyotaka briefly registered a large, open room, where a screeching man was sprinting towards him. He was being followed by a numerous band of cackling goblins. He had only a few moments to take in the scene before the man ran in and slammed the door shut. The two leaned against it, as the red-haired man’s pursuers began to throw themselves against the doors.

The man had bright red hair, and a goatee. He was wheezing, obviously fatigued from fighting for a long period of time. His clothes and face were coated in blood. Judging from the state he was in, Kiyotaka assumed it was his own. Especially since there were three arrows sticking out of his shoulder. 

As soon as the banging began to die down, the man placed one of his scimitars over the door handles to block it off. The paladin placed his shield underneath, making sure that it wouldn’t budge. Once he was sure the doors were secure, Kiyotaka breathed a sigh of relief. The man he was with fell to the floor.

“Aw dammit I’m gonna die here I’m totally doomed there’s no saving me oh god oh god…” The person began to ramble, groggily expressing his regrets of what he hadn’t done, what he had yet to see. Kiyotaka knelt down at his side. He placed both hands on one of the arrows wedged in the person’s shoulder.

“Please hold still! This will hurt!”

“What are y—Ow! Hey, what the hell d—Augh!” The paladin yanked out the other two arrows, before quickly placing his hands on the wound (before his companion could protest) and shutting his eyes and casting a healing spell. 

In the eyes of Kiyotaka Ishimaru, a paladin’s most important role is the role of protector. As he saw it, paladins have the sacred duty of defending those who cannot defend themselves. He took this task incredibly seriously. This is why he was always so quick to jump to others’ aid; being a protector gave his life meaning. Thus, in situations like the one he was in, he made sure to pour his heart into the spells he cast. Knowing that his presence could do some good in the world… it helped him sleep at night, at the very least.

“Woah… dude, I think you just saved my life.”

Kiyotaka opened his eyes to see that man, rubbing the spots where his wounds were before. “I really thought I was a goner there, so uhh… thanks a lot.”

Kiyotaka smiled, shaking his head. “No, it’s quite alright! I’m glad to see that you’re okay! However… we’re not done here yet, b—“

_ Thud. Thud _ . “Oh. Yeah. Right. Goblins.“ The red-haired man groaned, scratching his head. “Man, I just wanna get out of here. I came in for the money and all, but honestly I dunno if it’s worth it anymore.” Kiyotaka got to his feet and extended a hand. 

“Don’t worry! You are no longer fighting them alone, so as long as we keep on moving and stick together, then we’ll be able to survive this!”

“D’ya really think so?”

“Yes! Most certainly!” The paladin’s confidence appeared to reassure the man. Admittedly, Kiyotaka himself wasn’t feeling as sure as he made himself sound. Still, showing any hint of panic in this situation wouldn’t have helped in the slightest.

“Oh, yeah, before I forget, the name’s Leon Kuwata.” Leon shook Kiyotaka’s hand, giving a grin. “I figured you’d wanna know who I am, with you saving my life and all.”

“Kiyotaka Ishimaru, paladin of Tyr, proud to make your acquaintance!” He bowed deeply, but quickly. “Now, let’s start trying to figure out how to get through!” The two turned to look at the door. 

The thudding had diminished slightly, but was still happening at a constant rate. Kiyotaka frowned. “I had believed that goblins were not the most intelligent creatures, but I didn’t think they were  _ that _ … empty-headed.”

“Nah, they usually aren’t.” Leon leaned against the doorframe. “I’ve fought lots of ‘em, but for some reason they’ve been  _ really  _ angry today.” 

“That’s… certainly not good. Do you know how many are there inside?”

“Like, fifteen? Twenty? Too many. I should know, they kicked my ass.”

“Mhmm...”  _ Thud.  _ Kiyotaka stared at the doors again, mind whirring. They probably wouldn’t be able to hold the goblins out forever, but maybe… wait! The gears stopped turning in his mind, and he turned to the other man. “Leon! I need you to unbar the door!”

“Huh?! Wait, are you crazy?!” Leon’s voice hitched. Kiyotaka shook his head. 

“Think about it: the goblins will keep charging, and if we take them by surprise and unbar the door…”

“Oh, I get it! So if they run into the door and go right through, they’ll be all confused and then BAM!” Leon pounded his fist into his hand. “Then we take ‘em down!”

“Yes, exactly! That way, it will be a little easier to take down the group as a whole!” 

Kiyotaka removed his shield, and gave the countdown to Leon to remove his sword.  _ 3… 2... 1… Shink.  _

A second passed. 

Then another. 

Then… 

_ CRASH!  _ Around five goblins crashed through the door, screeching in surprise upon hitting the floor. The two men didn’t waste a second, attacking the prone creatures before any of them could counter. It didn’t take long. Still, there was no time for celebration, as the remaining goblins started preparing to go on the offensive. 

“I’m going in! Stay behind me!” Kiyotaka yelled, putting his shield up. Leon obliged. Letting out a battle cry, the paladin charged through the doors, knocking some attackers off their feet. 

Surveying the room, Kiyotaka noted that Leon was indeed correct: there were a lot of goblins to fight. 

“Aw hell, they called in more. This is gonna be tough...” Leon groaned again, ducking behind the shield as a rain of arrows collided with the metal.

“Don’t lose hope now! We’ll be able to take them as long as we stay focused!” Leon nodded hastily, taking out his scimitars. 

“Okay! We’ve got this, alright? Alright. Let’s go!”

The two crashed into battle, giving their all to the fight. Kiyotaka swung his sword broadly, hitting a line of goblins. He spotted one sneaking behind him, and struck it with the hilt of his sword. The goblin collapsed, screeching. He put his shield up just in time, as a fair amount of arrows came crashing in.  _ Time to take cover. _ As he ran, he saw Leon sprinting towards the line of archers. Without missing a beat, the fighter drop kicked one of them. He didn’t stick the landing, crashing to the floor. Before Kiyotaka could yell, Leon stuck his sword up, right into the gut of a lunging goblin. He hopped to his feet.

“Hey! Behind you!” Hearing Leon’s warning, Kiyotaka spun and elbowed an incoming goblin in the face. Another one jumped, latching on to the paladin’s arm. He kicked it off. 

They fought with all their might, taking down goblins as fast as they could. Yet… the crowd barely thinned. The more they took down, the more seemed to appear. Kiyotaka was taking cover behind a rock when Leon slid beside him.

“Goddamn… it’s like they never stop!” The redhead said, panting.

“They have to stop… eventually...” the Paladin’s voice, as well as his confidence, began to waver. “They can’t do this forever… right?”

“Neither can we!” The fighter attempted to peek his head around the rock. The  _ woosh _ of an arrow, followed by the goblins’ guffaws were all Kiyotaka heard, before Leon’s very pale, very terrified face came back into view. “...not doing  _ that _ again.” Desperation began to set in. Kiyotaka closed his eyes, praying to Tyr. He prayed for the courage to continue the fight. He prayed for the help of his god to destroy the enemies. Or at the very least, he prayed for something,  _ anything  _ to help bail him out of this.

Sometimes, prayers are answered in mysterious ways.

“Hey there, fuckers!” The sound of an axe striking bone resonated through the chamber. The two men jumped up from behind their hiding places.

“We’re saved!” Leon whooped. Kiyotaka looked out to see a man, with tan skin and brown hair with a fur cape and a— _Wait!_ _No. What? How is this possible?!_ Before him stood the man he had fought before. _But why is he here now? Why is he helping us?! That doesn’t make sense!_

“Hey, ya cowards!” The man rested his greataxe on his shoulders, turning to look at their hiding place. “Are ya just gonna hide there forever or help me out here!?” 

“Hell yeah!” Leon hopped out and ran towards the man without a second thought. Kiyotaka stood gaping. For a moment, the two men locked eyes. The paladin shook his head quickly, snapping out of his trance.  _ Remember, your purpose here is to vanquish the evil within. You can’t let anything get in the way of doing that _ . Picking up his sword again, he marched towards the battle. He gave a curt nod to the barbarian, before stabbing the goblin sneaking up behind him. 

Revitalized, the three battled fiercely, now able to combat the hoard. Every swing, slice, and stab became more confident, with victory in sight. Finally, with one last  _ bash _ of Kiyotaka’s shield, the last goblin went down. The three men all stood in silence, save for their heavy breathing and the ambient echoes of the room. 

Leon was the first one to speak again. He turned to the barbarian. “Phew! You have no clue how glad I am you came here, haha… I thought we were done for! I’m Leon Kuwata! What’s your name?”

“Mondo. Mondo Owada.”

“Awesome, man.” The redhead shook his hand enthusiastically, and then gestured to the paladin. “Alright! Kiyotaka Ishimaru, meet Mondo Owada. Mondo Owada, Kiyotaka Ishimaru!”

He then began to ramble about how happy he was to be alive or something along those lines. Kiyotaka wasn’t listening. He was, at the moment, preoccupied with staring down the man across from him. The man stared back, lavender eyes looking intensely into his own. He wouldn’t back down, especially since their fight from before hadn’t ever actually been concluded. Eventually, the fighter caught on to the sharp tension in the room. “Uhh… do you guys know each other, or something?”

“I have questions to ask.” Kiyotaka broke the silence, but didn’t break his eye contact. He straightened his posture, putting himself at the man’s eye level.

“Yeah, I gotcha. Yer probably wondering why I’d stick my ass out to help someone like you, am I right?” Leon went quiet, watching the exchange play out. “Well, I’ll tell ya that I’m not doin’ it for you, I’m doin’ it because somebody’s gotta take down whatever’s in this damn cave. I figured that it might as well be me.” He smirked, picking up his axe and putting it on his back without breaking eye contact. “Believe it or not, paladin: I think we’re here, right now, for the same reason, so let’s get it over with. That way we’ll never have to deal with each other again, got it?”

Kiyotaka paused, dwelling his words over. “Fair enough. You may stay. We should continue moving forward, then.” The paladin broke their eye contact, walking forward and towards the exit. 

“Ooookay then. That was… something. Okay!” Leon walked forward next, scratching his head. Mondo followed last.

“Oh, and uh, paladin. One more thing.” His voice deepened, losing the gruff edge it had before. The black-haired man turned around, stopping to look at him. 

“What is it?”

“Just… for the record… I didn’t kill her. Y’know, in the library. I came into that room and found all the furniture like that, with her layin’ there. God, whoever did that...” the barbarian’s voice quivered for a second, as his hands clenched into fists. “I’ll make them pay, got it? That sorta suffering is something no one should face!”

A pause. The paladin stared at him. Those words had a sincerity that he wasn’t expecting, and… well, he had to admit it: maybe he was wrong with his original assumption. Maybe this barbarian was... less terrible than he’d thought. His eyes softened, and gave a nod to him. This time, it wasn’t a nod of curt dismissal; instead, it was of understanding. Then, without a word, they continued down the dark corridor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Striker_of_Chords here! This fic is a huge passion project of mine, and I’ve been working on it for a while now. There’s a lot of stuff about the world and the characters that is sorta in the background of the fic, so I’ll probably have a section for Story Notes after each chapter.
> 
> Story Notes:  
> \- The world itself is called Espairia, and it consists of humans, elves, and dwarves, as well as various kinds of monsters  
> \- Killing monsters is a completely different matter than killing other humanoids. Monsters are irredeemably evil, so killing them isn’t really considered murder.  
> \- The deities mentioned in this fic are gods from D&D. For instance, Tyr is the god of justice.
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	2. Beginnings Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they get to the bottom of things.

They walked in silence: Kiyotaka at the front with the torch, Leon in the middle, and Mondo in the back. The barbarian was beginning to zone out when the fighter’s voice broke through the quiet. “Hey, uhh, there’s been something I’ve been thinking about.” 

“Yes? What is it?”

“Well, I mean, since you guys are here from the reward, we’ve gotta split the money eventually, right? How do you think we’re gonna do that?”

“Wait, hold on a sec. Whaddaya mean, ‘reward’? I didn’t know there’s a reward.” 

“Wha...? Are you being serious right now?” Leon turned to look at Mondo, with a bewildered look on his face. Mondo raised an eyebrow and nodded.

“To be fair, I did not hear anything about that either.” The paladin continued looking forward as he spoke. “I had known that this cave was causing problems in the area, but I didn’t know anyone was giving out money for people to fix it.” 

“What! Why the hell’d you guys come here then, if you didn’t know about the money?!” Leon raised his voice slightly in irritation. 

Mondo shrugged. “Curiosity, I guess. Maybe pride. Figured someone had to beat the shit outta whatever was in here, so I figured it was gonna be me.”

“As much as I don’t agree with your aggressive word choice, I actually came for a similar reason.” Mondo’s eyes widened, looking up at the paladin. _A reason to agree with him, for once? No way!_ “When I committed myself to this life, I swore to give my all in the fight to rid the world of darkness. It would have been foolish of me to let this place exist without intervention!” _Ah, there it is. The classic paladin charm._ Mondo inwardly groaned. 

“Man, you two made me look bad. Now I sound like a greedy a-hole.” Leon rubbed his neck, embarrassed. “Well, I’d feel bad if I took all of it. I’ll give you guys some of the loot, how about that?”

“You don’t need to give me too much. I’d likely spend it on the bare essentials. There is little point in spending excess money on things other than what’s needed to move forward, so I only buy what’s necessary to survive.”

“Same here. I’m kinda used to not havin’ a lot of money, so I dunno what I’d do if I suddenly got rich.”

“Aw, come on! If you keep living like that, you’d never actually get to _experience_ life! You gotta treat yourself once in a while, you know?” This time, the paladin turned around to look at Leon, tilting his head. “Like, as soon as _I_ get that gold, I’m buying myself a super fancy new lute.”

“A lute? D’ya play or somethin’?” It was an offhand question, but Leon turned to him, eyes blazing with a passion Mondo had never seen.

“Hell yeah I do! I mean, I’m a fighter right now, but my _real_ passion in life is music!” Leon began to gesture wildly, gradually getting more enthusiastic. “I’ve got that bardic magic in my blood, I know it! I’ve been pouring my heart into learning the secrets of the lute, and before you know it, I’ll be raiding your local tavern, stealing the hearts of all the beautiful ladies with my charm! They’ll follow me from town to town and I’ll live like a king!” 

“As much as I’m currently questioning that last comment... I wholeheartedly support your decision!” The paladin’s voice was clear and confident. 

Leon’s eyes widened. “Huh? You... what?”

The paladin turned around, giving a broad smile of encouragement. “Self-improvement is important! Learning new skills is an easy way to make life more meaningful. You should be proud of yourself for trying to take your life in a new direction!” 

Mondo nodded. “Damn straight. Music’s pretty fuckin’ cool, and if you wanna get into it, that’s awesome. Ya should play somethin’!” He grinned, giving the redhead a thumbs-up. Leon looked back and forth between the other two men, mouth agape. “Uhh, are ya good there?”

“Dude… I think that’s the first time anyone other than a girl has taken me seriously.” He looked down, then grinned. “Now I’ve really gotta impress you guys!”

“I hope so! We’d love to hear it!” The paladin gave a final nod, then turned his head to look back down the corridor. A comfortable silence set in, save for the sound of the men’s footsteps. 

Mondo started to reflect on the conversation. He had to admit, he was a little surprised to learn about the fighter’s hobby. He felt that he’d learned a lot about the man: he was easily excitable, a bit arrogant, and a little too much of a ladies-man. And yet, he was still friendly and optimistic. _I guess overall, he seems pretty damn fun to be around._

His mind wandering, he found himself bumping into the other two men, who were standing in front of two large, stone doors. He was about to exclaim when he was promptly shushed.

“This is as far down as we can possibly go,” the paladin whispered. “That means that whatever’s at the core of this place, it’s likely right inside these doors.”

Mondo took his greataxe out of its sheath, and nodded. “I dunno ‘bout you, but I’m ready to kick some ass.” The other two took out their weapons, faces determined. Mondo shot a glance towards each man, both nodding in turn. Then, with all the strength he could muster, pushed the door open.

The first thing that registered about the room was its size. To call it a room would be an understatement; it looked more like the inside of a temple. Bright torches hung from the ceiling, casting the room in orange light. Instead of stained glass, heavily scrawled-on papers adorned the walls. 

One of the most striking features of the space was the gigantic statue at the other end of it. It looked like a stuffed bear, but made of stone. One side of it was light and rather innocent looking, while the other was dark, with a toothy grin and a jagged eye made of a red gemstone. The statue loomed over some sort of elevated platform. The whole area looked... unsettling. Mondo shuddered.

_Fshh_. The sound of something shifting put the three men on their guard. They looked to the source of the noise to see… someone looking back at them. The person was standing at one of the tables, and startled upon hearing their arrival. 

“Stop where you are!” The paladin’s firm voice echoed through the room. The stranger jumped and spun around. Mondo saw what looked like an elvish girl, with short, light brown hair and a green cloak. She was clutching a tall brown staff. She looked… absolutely terrified, actually.

“I…I’m not here to fight, I swear.” The elf managed to stutter out. Her voice was soft and panicked. “I just came here… I’m looking for some sheets, and—“

“Please state your name and your purpose.” The paladin’s voice had softened slightly, but still held its firmness. He took a careful step forward, grip tightening on his weapon. One could never know what tricks a monster could use to gain the upper hand; pretending to be an ally included. _Though, this still sucks. Jeez, she’s shaking like hell._

“...I’m sorry. I can’t tell you why I’m here right now.” She lowered her head. The paladin’s brow furrowed, eyes narrowing in suspicion. 

“Could you, at the very least, give me a name?”

“...okay. My name is... Chihiro.” Mondo saw the paladin’s shoulders drop a little in relief. A name was better than nothing. He took another step forward. Though, the closer Mondo got, the stranger he felt. _Green cloak… brown hair… hey, have I seen you before?_

They prepared to take another step forward, but the person— Chihiro, if the name she had given was to be believed, took a step back.

“Sorry… I don’t think I can trust you yet.”

“Hey, look, I think we should be the ones not trusting _you_ right now.” Leon’s voice made the elf jump in surprise. “I mean, you still haven’t told us why you’re here. Why should we believe that you _aren’t_ some monster pretending to be harmless so you can attack us?” The other two nodded.

“I… I don’t know how I can prove it right now. I’m sorry…” _Again with the apologies…_ the girl shut her eyes, frowning. _Jeez, there’s that deja-vu again! How the hell do I know you?!_

The other two tightened their grips on their weapons. The poor girl did the same.

“I’m not a monster in disguise, I swear!” Her voice increased the slightest amount, before lowering again. “I’m a cleric of Lathander. I... came here a few hours ago to— no, I still can’t talk about it.”

“Ugh, you’re still being vague.” Leon scratched his neck. “We still might have to fight you, as much as it hurts me to fight a girl, I’ll do it if—“

“Wait, hold on a fuckin’ second.” Everyone turned to look at Mondo. He pointed directly at the elf, who shriveled under the man’s intense gaze. “Have we met?” 

“H-huh?” 

“Have I met you?” Mondo slowly repeated the question, to the bewilderment of the others.

“Wait, dude, do you _know_ her or something?” Leon turned to him, shocked.

“Uhh, maybe? Kinda? I don’t think so. It’s uhh…” Mondo pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to pull the memory from the depths of his mind. “I could swear I’ve seen you before. Somehow.”

“I… I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m sorry…” Mondo squeezed his eyes shut, focusing. “But you m—“

“FUCK!” Mondo slapped his forehead. “I got it!”

“So you _do_ remember meeting her?!”

“Well, nah, not really.” The paladin raised an eyebrow. Mondo waved a hand, preparing to explain. “It’s that damned doll! When I got here, the cave I mean, I was lookin’ around and I thought I heard somethin’. Thought it sounded suspicious, so I checked, and boom! I saw a cool doll that looked just like that stranger over there.” Mondo pointed a thumb at the stranger. 

“That… doesn’t say much. At all.” Leon squinted at the barbarian.

“Wait!” The cleric took a step forward, eyes wide. “So… what you’re saying is… you found a doll?” Mondo gave a nod. “And it looked like me?” He nodded again. “Umm… hold on!” The cleric ran to the nearest table before digging around in her bag. The other three stared at her, before huddling up.

“So, whaddaya think? We attacking or not?”

“I’m not so sure. She seems honest enough, plus she’s a follower of Lathander, so—“

“Man, guys, think about it! I don’t wanna fight a girl but she’s still never told us _why_ she’s actually here. Unless she does that—“

“Alright!” The cleric’s soft voice cut through the whispers. The men briskly reformed their line. “I’ve… I’ve decided to tell you why I’m actually here.” The men exchanged wide-eyed glances, bewildered. “My name is… Chihiro Fujisaki. I’m a cleric, and follower of the god Lathander. I’m here because… I felt something dangerous coming from this cave. Something dangerous and powerful, a deadly curse. I came to investigate that.” She lowered her head again. “I’m really sorry for not telling you that last part… I was worried that if you were evil, you would take that power and do something bad with it.”

“It’s quite alright!” The paladin clapped his hands together, startling Chihiro. “It’s perfectly sensible to not trust someone you have just met. That way you can protect yourself from threats.” He smiled at the elf, who gave a small smile back. 

“Now, umm…” Chihiro frowned. “Before we do anything else… I don’t actually know any of your names. I’m sorry...” 

“Yes! Of course! I cannot believe we failed to introduce ourselves!” Kiyotaka immediately bowed. “My name is Kiyotaka Ishimaru, paladin of Tyr and defender of justice!” He bowed deeply. “I am proud to make your acquaintance!” Chihiro nodded, smiling. The man resumed his standing position.

Leon enthusiastically stepped forward, shaking Chihiro’s hand with an air of exaggerated coolness. “I’m Leon Kuwata. Fighter by trade, but destined for greatness.” 

“Uh, I’m Mondo Owada. Nice to meecha.” The man gave a casual wave. “I don’t have a fancy schmancy title or anythin’, so uhh… yeah. That’s me.” 

“Hey, Chihiro…” The paladin rubbed his chin, thoughtful. “I was wondering… what made you change your mind? About trusting us, I mean. What Owada said made very little sense to any of us.”

“And also, how the heck did you even get down here so fast?” Leon asked, scratching his head. “I almost friggin died on the way, but you seem fine.”

“Oy, maybe you guys should lay off the questions,” Mondo said, irritated. “We just met the dang girl.”

“Actually, I can answer both of those really easily. I’m... actually a little glad you asked, hehe.” Her laugh was soft, and almost sounded a little relieved. She reached into her bag, clearing her throat. “Over the last few years, I’ve been working on my magic, and discovered a way to create something amazing.” Her voice was stronger now, absent of the hesitation from before. “I’m honestly very proud of this. So, um, here he is!”

She turned around, revealing something sitting in her hand. Not just anything; that same little doll that Mondo had found before! This time, instead of laying blankly, eyes closed, it was sitting upright, face focused on scribbling something onto a pad of paper. _Wait…!_

“Holy shit, it moves!” Mondo squinted at the doll. 

“What is it, exactly?” The paladin asked, turning to Chihiro.

“I made him myself! He’s a clay golem. Normally, golems are linked to the wills of their masters, but for this guy I’ve put all my focus into making him have a mind of his own!”

“Fascinating!” The golem’s expression shifted into one of satisfaction, and it turned the pad around to the men to read. They leant their faces in to read the tiny font:

_“Hello! I am Alter Ego! It’s nice to meet you!”_

Behind the paper, Alter Ego grinned broadly. Taka’s eyes lit up. “He’s absolutely adorable! And has very nice handwriting too!” The doll then covered his face, embarrassed by the praise. 

“He hasn’t learned to speak yet, so I taught him how to write. He’s also good at art, too! Also, if you were wondering how a frail girl like me gets around… Alter Ego helps me find shortcuts, which is cool.” Chihiro lifted the small person back into his bag. Before entering the pouch, he waved one of his little arms goodbye. Despite himself, Mondo waved back.

—————

Kiyotaka could safely say that he’d never seen any writings like this before. The papers on the wall appeared to account a series of experiments, the purpose of which was unclear. He pulled one paper from the wall. It was written with small, quick handwriting, and had a scribbled sketch of a person on it. “ _Negative. Subject moderately responsive. Displays mild confusion, but only low levels of panic. Attempt on other specimens.”_ Kiyotaka frowned, walking further down the wall and pulling off another sheet. This one was different from the first; the writing was scrawled across the page, almost illegible. “ _Not enough! The distress is there, but it’s missing the crucial pieces! Need to use more on all victims!”_

“Did you find anything?” Chihiro stepped behind him, a few papers in her own hands.

“This room is some sort of testing ground.” Kiyotaka passed Chihiro the sheet. “But I cannot tell what they are testing for. Whoever did this seemed to be tracking the pain of those they experimented on.”

He began to walk towards the platform in the center of the room. It was the size of a large table. _If we want any sort of answer, the best place to look is where the experiments themselves happened, right?_

Chihiro followed, staying safely behind him. As they approached, the nature of the platform further revealed itself: long chains hung from both sides, and nail markings stretched across the stone surface. 

Chihiro quickly stepped back, clutching her staff. “I _knew_ there was something wrong with this place the moment I stepped inside. There’s just… this air of wrongness. Whatever happened here…” she trailed off, shuddering. “I can’t be the only one feeling it, right?”

He didn’t reply. She certainly wasn’t wrong, though. Something dark hung around them, like the humid air hovering before a thunderstorm. Heavy and foreboding. 

He moved his hand, and something _clinked_ to the ground: a red gemstone pendant. Upon closer inspection, it had the same face and features as the statue at the front of the room. 

Kiyotaka squinted at it. It obviously wasn’t a coincidence that these two things were identical in appearance. The problem was that he couldn’t figure out why someone would create them. He dug through his memory, but he couldn’t recall any deities using that as their symbol, nor were there any noble families with that crest.

As he stared, he began to feel something strange in his chest. The pendant was calling to him. It felt strange and powerful. Before he could stop himself, he had picked it up and slipped it around his neck. The pendant burst into light, glowing a bright pink.

Kiyotaka didn’t feel the first tremors his touch had caused. The room around him began to tremble, the papers on the wall creating a chorus of noise. He was pulled out of his trance by a yank on his arm by Chihiro. He rushed to the wall, placing his hand on it for stability.

Leon and Mondo ran up to them, covering their heads as the ceiling began to rain fragments of rock. Leon let out a panicked chuckle. “If either of you have any clue what the _hell_ is going on, that would be really great to know!”

Mondo’s eyes flickered to the glowing pendant around Kiyotaka’s neck. He locked his jaw. “Paladin, what the fuck did you do?” His voice was low, filled with anger. “I swear, if you caused something here, I’ll—“

Before he was able to finish his threat, the room lurched, sending everyone sprawling to the floor. Kiyotaka had barely lifted his head when he heard a chilling cackle resonate through the chamber.

The dust cleared, and the statue had come alive. Its jagged eye was now glowing a bright red, and the smile seemed more pronounced than ever. The monster’s paws clenched into fists, and it took a step towards them.

They all unsheathed their weapons. Chihiro’s hands flickered with green magic. “Battle now, talk later!” she said, stepping back. 

The men charged at the beast, slashing furiously at the stone. It didn’t take long to see how ineffective their attacks were. Kiyotaka could barely make a dent in the statue’s ankle, despite all his strength. In front of him, Mondo yelled and swung his axe at the leg, only chipping off a bit. This only angered it more. With its giant paws, it unceremoniously chucked Mondo across the room.

Above him, he saw a hand extend out, summoning a cloud of green magic. The monster stopped and brought its paws to its eyes.

Kiyotaka locked eyes with Chihiro, who hurriedly beckoned them behind the platform. The elf was healing Mondo when they arrived.

“I cast a blinding and deafening spell on it, so it won’t get us here,” she explained. “But we don’t have long.”

“Man, was it just me, or was none of that working?” Leon ran a hand through his hair nervously. “It’s like that thing had no weak spots.”

“Wait…” Kiyotaka looked down at the pendant, then over at the stumbling enemy. _The eye and the pendant must be connected, right?_ He briefly considered breaking the object around his neck, but scrapped the idea. _This gem feels too important to destroy._ “The red eye must be the weakness. It’s glowing, which means there has to be magic in there. Plus, it’s the only part not made of stone.”

“Okay, cool! We have a target, but how do we break it?” Leon stroked his goatee. “Could one of you, like, climb up and stab it?”

Mondo shook his head. “Nah. That thing’s made of smooth stone. And even if one of us jumped from this, we prolly wouldn’t reach it. Couldn’t scale it if I tried.”

There was a moment of silence as they tried to come up with a solution. Next to him, Chihiro began to fidget with her cloak, mumbling to herself. “What if— no, nevermind, that’s useless…” 

Kiyotaka nudged her, giving a supportive nod. “If you have an idea, do not be afraid to share it. Anything you can contribute can help us, okay?” 

Chihiro seemed taken aback by that, but nodded determinedly. “I was wondering… the statue is very large, but if we could bring the eye down to us, beating it would be a lot easier.” She paused, then lowered her head. “But I realized I don’t actually know how we could do that… sorry.”

“There’s no need to be sorry. That’s the start of something, at the very least,” Kiyotaka reassured.

Leon rummaged through his bag, pulling out a long length of rope. “We can trip it using this, right? That’ll make it fall, and then we win!”

“Nah.” Mondo crossed his arms. “When that giant arm slapped me, it slapped me _hard_. Pretty sure that thing’s solid rock all the way through. With all that weight, the rope’ll break easily.” The man leaned back against the platform. “Unless we have somethin’ stronger, this could be a lost cause.”

“But we do!” Something clicked into place in Kiyotaka’s head. He reached around and placed the chain attached to the side of the platform in front of them. “This isn’t only stronger, but it’s also secure! We could definitely attach it to the statue’s ankle!”

Mondo thought about it for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Paladin, ya might be onto something.” From behind them, a high pitched cackle sounded. Mondo gritted his teeth. “Shit, we’re outta time. Quick, how the heck do we get it to come close enough?”

Leon dramatically cleared his throat. “Not to brag, but I’m kinda a pro at distraction,” He said, rising to his feet. “Watch ‘n learn!” With a wink, he vaulted the platform. He grabbed a chunk of rock, fallen from the ceiling, and chucked it right at the back of the monster’s head. It wasn’t very effective. In fact, the only thing it managed to do was get the statue to turn around. The man yelled a battle cry and threw another rock, which further aggravated the creature.

Mondo facepalmed. “Looks like it’s go time, huh?” He shoved the chain into Kiyotaka’s hands. “Don’t fuck it up.” He too vaulted the platform and began yelling and waving his axes at the creature.

Chihiro patted Kiyotaka’s arm. “Hey, we’re counting on you. You’ll do great!” In an instant, she’d snuck away, leaving a taken-aback Kiyotaka with a chain in his hand.

All that left him to do was wait. He couldn't do much until the monster lumbered into range, after all. So he watched the other three, running around and distracting the creature. Leon was still throwing things and dancing around to dodge the punches. Mondo was yelling and taunting. Chihiro was casting eye-catching spells to draw the monster closer. It was certainly a strange sight to see. Maybe the strangest part was Kiyotaka’s feeling that he was missing out on the fun. He’d never felt that before.

The creature stepped into range, and the paladin was able to wrap the chain around the creature’s ankle without a hitch. He gave it a small tug. _Yes, it’s secure. All according to plan._ He sprinted right between the statue’s legs, yelling for them to get out of the way. Getting crushed would certainly ruin the victory, after all.

The statue stumbled after them as they ran to the wall, but couldn’t get far. It’s arms flailed in the air exaggeratedly. The chain around its foot grew taut as all of the statue’s weight pulled against it. For a moment, Kiyotaka dreaded that the chain would snap off altogether. Thankfully, it toppled over before that could happen.

As they ran to it, the paladin couldn’t help but feel a small surge of pity. The creature was laying on its side, unable to pick itself up. The grin remained spread across the darker half of its face. However, the gemstone eye pulsed with magic. Upon closer inspection, flecks of pink swirled underneath the surface.

Then, Mondo swung his axe into the gem, cracks splitting through the formerly-smooth surface. It flickered weakly. One more swing and the flickering stopped for good.

“Man, that was epic!” Leon exclaimed. He put his fist forward, grinning cheekily. Mondo and Chihiro bopped their fists to his, and Kiyotaka did the same. 

It was a normal ritual for adventurers to take some time and celebrate a battle won. To rest a bit, heal, and take pride in your victory. Kiyotaka had never quite seen the appeal. If this had been a normal day, he’d already have been climbing back up. _And yet_ … his eyes fell upon the people in front of him. When he entered that cave for the first time, he hadn’t been expecting to meet all of these people. The friendly and talkative Leon, the timid and thoughtful Chihiro… even the brash and bold Mondo, who he still had mixed feelings about… he found himself not wanting to leave. 

“Wait! Hold on!” Chihiro took a step back, pointing a finger at the eye. Seeping through the cracks was a thick, bright pink liquid. Mondo put his hand underneath it, collecting it in his palm.

He stared at it for a moment. Then his eyes went wide, and he hurriedly began shaking his hand out. “Agh, shit! What the fuck is with this freakin’ place?” He started wiping it off on the statue, leaving stains of pink on the stone. “Why the fuck’s the stupid statue got blood coming out of its eye?”

“What the heck?” Leon frowned. “Blood’s supposed to be red, though. What sort of blood’s bright pink?”

Chihiro crouched down, pulling out a small vial. “I don’t know, but… I think this is something to look into.” 

After she finished collecting the strange pink blood, the four of them stood at the door. None of them said anything, nor did anyone take the first steps out. It was the lingering question hanging over their heads: what now?

Kiyotaka took it upon himself to speak first. “I, erm… well, today has been full of surprises. But… I can definitely say fighting with all of you has been a pleasure. I’m not sure where all of you plan to go from here, but…” he cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a little nervous. He’d honestly never had any experience with adventuring as a team, but this time felt different. It felt right. “I would be open to the prospect of traveling together as a group. If that is okay, of course.” 

There was a beat as the offer hung in the air. Surprisingly, the barbarian spoke up first. “Yeah, I uhh… I was goin’ at it alone, but traveling with you guys sounds a lot better.”

Chihiro smiled gently. “I’d like that too… if that’s okay.”

“And I’m still gonna keep my word for splitting the reward for us,” Leon added, chuckling. “I owe you all one.”

And that was all it took. They all entered that cave separately, then left it together. The road forward wasn’t perfectly clear, nor was it free of challenges, but they were a team now. That was enough to push them through whatever was ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Notes:  
> \- Lathander is the D&D god of renewal  
> \- Alter Ego is Chihiro’s familiar  
> \- Blood is normally supposed to be red
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	3. Interludes and Get-to-know-yous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the party spends their first night together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about my late posting, guys! I had to make a bunch of changes for consistency with the next few chapters. I’ll do my best to keep on schedule from now on

When they exited the cave, the sun was beginning to lower over the horizon. The only things they decided to keep were the vials of the pink liquid, a few papers from the wall, and the pendant Kiyotaka had found. Not an awful lot, but at least they had proof of their victory.

Now that there was natural light, Kiyotaka looked at the people stretching around him. The barbarian wore a black coat, with brown fur around the collar and arms. In the light, he now saw that it had images of beasts embroidered onto the back. The embroidery was well done, as gaudy as it was. Underneath, the man wore a white shirt, black pants and fur boots, with some brown cloth tied around his waist. His brown hair stuck out at the front in a strange fashion, hanging over the front of his face.  _ How long would that even take to style?  _ He wasn’t sure he needed the answer.

As for Chihiro, her outfit seemed much simpler in comparison. It was only really a green cloak, brown dress, and boots. Kiyotaka noticed how Alter Ego (who was currently sitting on Chihiro’s shoulder) had the exact same outfit except for wearing a shirt and pants instead of a dress. 

Leon, on the other hand, wore what was probably the most complex outfit of the three. He had a brown jacket and knee-length pants, with a white tunic that was opened at the collar. He wore three belts in total, two around his waist and one across his chest. Kiyotaka noted the man’s red hair was much brighter under the light of the sun.  _ That’s good to know, since he’d be easy to spot in a crowd _ .

The village was a few hours away by foot, so the paladin took some time to enjoy his surroundings. As much as he enjoyed his adventuring lifestyle, he preferred to be outside, rather than dungeoneering deep underground. He found that somewhat stifling. Walking through the fields, as they were now, was therapeutic for him. 

“Yo, Taka! What’s up?” Leon ran up to him, matching his pace.

“Nothing much. I am only thinking. How about you?”

“Same here. Lotsa stuff to see, things to do, I get it. What’re you thinking about?”

Kiyotaka paused for a second. Why had Leon approached him? Was there something he wanted to talk about? He figured it was better not to press, and simply answered his question. “...I was thinking of the fields. They’re quite relaxing to walk through. When I was younger, I’d go to the one outside of my village just to clear my head.”

“Ah, yeah, I could see that. Fields are pretty cool. For me, though, I think they’re… too big, I guess? I dunno. I’m more of a city guy.” 

“That makes sense, from what I know of you. You do seem to be a people-person.”

“Yup, that’s me!” Leon chuckled, before going quiet. There was a beat of silence between them, before Kiyotaka decided to ask what was on his mind.

“Er… if you don’t mind my asking, is there a reason you wished to speak to me?”

“Huh? Nah.” He shrugged. “I was just kinda bored, so I thought it would be cool to talk to someone. You were in front of me, so I decided on you. Is that… cool? I mean, if you don’t wanna…”

“N-no! I’m enjoying this!” He sighed. “It’s just… uncommon for people to speak to me without reason. I’m well aware that I’m not great with small talk, so when I actually have to speak in a casual setting, it’s confusing for me. I’m sorry for my incompetence in this regard.”

“Dude, Taka, it’s all good.” Leon waved a hand, smiling at him. “You don’t have to worry about that. Loosen up a little! Be cool and confident! That’s what I do when I’m talking to people! And that’s all there is to it, really.” 

“Is that so…?” 

“Yeah, totally!” He’d never thought about it that way. Though, he’s never been the best at relaxing.  _ I guess I’ll attempt to keep that in mind _ …

Another silence set in, but this time, it was more comfortable. Once again, Kiyotaka was the one to break it.

“Hey, Leon… there was something that I was wondering about.”

“Yeah?”

“You keep referring to me as ‘Taka.’ May I ask why?”

“Oh, well, ‘Kiyotaka’ takes a long time to say, and I think Taka sounds more cool. You alright with that?” 

“Huh… I’ve never had a nickname before.” He had to admit, hearing himself called by that name was a little unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. He liked the sound. “I think… it sounds nice.”

“Sweeeeeeeet. Taka it is!”

—————

Mondo crossed his arms, focusing on the road ahead. He wasn’t completely used to traveling with others, but it was nice having some company. Traveling alone was sorta getting to him, anyways.

He felt a tiny weight on his arm. Then, on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Alter Ego standing there. The familiar pointed to Mondo’s hair, mimicking climbing up to it.  _ So, the little guy wants to ride my hair? I don’t see why not… _ he gave a tiny nod, and turned his head forward to let it climb up.

He made sure to keep his head as still as possible. He thought back to all the times he had toys as a boy, where they ended up shattered and ripped from too much play. Too much movement, and the poor doll would shatter into a billion pieces. He couldn’t have that, right? 

“Oh, there he is!” He felt the weight get removed from the side of his head, and saw Chihiro placing a flailing Alter Ego back on her shoulder. “I’m really sorry about him, he always wants to climb on people and your hair looks soft. I’ll try to keep it from happening again.”

“Nah, yer all good. I let him do it, so it’s fine.” Chihiro made a noise of agreement. “Oh, and by the way… I was wonderin’ something.”

“Mhm?”

“Sorry that I’m asking this, but Alter Ego... is a ‘he’ right? I know you already said it, but you look like him, and yer a girl. Is there a reason for that, or…?”

“Oh!” Chihiro’s eyes widened, and her face got beet red. “I’m— I’m really sorry…” 

“Wait, it’s fine! Don’t tell me if you don't wanna!”

“But... I’m sorry, it was such a simple question and now I’m getting so emotional.” Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes. “If I wasn’t so weak, I wouldn’t be reacting this way...”

“Hey, I said ya don’t need to freak out, goddammit!”

He hadn’t meant to yell. It just came out that way. And with the way Chihiro jumped back, with her shoulders tensed and hands covering her face, Mondo knew he’d messed up. 

“Fuck, why can’t I just—!” He let out a yell through clenched teeth, angrily kicking the dirt.

“Hold on one moment! What happened?” Kiyotaka and Leon stood firmly in front of the two of them, looking back and forth expectantly.

“I-it’s nothing...”

“I, uh... I accidentally yelled at her. I didn’t mean t’do that, I swear!”

“It’s not your fault... I’m the one who overreacted.”

Leon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dude, does this happen to you a lot?”

“U-uh...” Mondo desperately wished he could say no, that this was a one time thing. A million embarrassing memories flashed by in his head. “I... yell when I get all flustered,” he confessed. “It ain’t like I wanna scare people off, it just happens.” He placed his hands on his hips and lowered his head. “I know, I suck...“

Leon hummed thoughtfully, then clicked his tongue. “Alright, y’know what, let’s try that again,” He grabbed both of their wrists and slapped their hands together. “Say your names and ask to be friends! Or something, I dunno…” Mondo felt confused, and really awkward, until he felt a small hand grasp his.

“H-hi, I’m Chihiro Fujisaki. I… would like to be your friend.” She smiled, making him feel slightly less uncomfortable. She turned to Leon, who gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. He then pointed at Mondo, gesturing for him to go on.

“I’m uhh… Mondo Owada and— god this so fucking stupid I swear— I want to be… your friend? I dunno, you’re pretty nice and somehow don’t mind me, which never happens...” he trailed off, glancing at Leon, who gave a shrug.

“Good enough, man.” He turned around and walked ahead.

“So… are you two both okay?” The paladin looked at them, slightly concerned. 

“Y-yeah, I think so. Thank you,” Chihiro said, smiling. The man nodded, following Leon. The two watched him go before the elf turned to him. “Mondo... there’s something I want you to see.”

“E-eh?” The barbarian was shocked Chihiro still wanted to speak to him after everything that transpired. The elf smiled and reached into her bag. Before Mondo could ask what it was, the girl dropped a slip of paper into his hand. One of Alter Ego’s slips, huh…? He flipped it over.

_ “I know the man with the weird hair. He’s very nice and he means well, even though he looks tough. Don’t fight him.” _

“What’s this?”

“Remember when we met in that chamber, and you mentioned how you saw Alter Ego? Well, I checked with him right after. That’s what he wrote about you.”

Mondo reread the paper a few more times, feeling his face grow hot in embarrassment.  _ Damn it, why’d I meet that doll and act like a dweeb? Now she probably thinks I’m weak, damn! _

“Look, don’t worry about the yelling thing.” Chihiro said gently. “Alter Ego is a great judge of character, and if he thinks you’re a good person... so do I.” She patted Mondo on the arm. “Plus, being intimidating on the surface doesn’t mean there isn’t kindness underneath, right? If there’s anything this whole conversation proved, it’s that.”

Mondo found himself at a loss for words. “I-I... thanks. I really mean that.”

“It’s no problem,” Chihiro replied. “And I’m glad to be your friend.”

—————

Over the next few hours, the sky had begun to fade from blue to orange in the setting sun. The path they followed trailed alongside a forest, surrounding them with the sounds of idle birds and leaves shifting in the wind. Kiyotaka felt his limbs starting to grow heavier. He turned to look at his companions, and noticed a hazy look coming over them as well.  _ I guess everyone’s feeling a little worn down. _

“It’s beginning to get dark. It would be wise to set up an encampment before nightfall,” he said, prompting enthusiastic agreements from the others. It turned out that everyone knew quite a bit about building a camp. Chihiro, being a wood elf, was more than happy to scope out a safe and quiet place to settle into. Leon started a simple campfire in the center of it. Kiyotaka put himself to work, helping the others the best he could. 

He looked up at the sky, seeing the sun fading from view. His stomach grumbled quietly. From his bag, he pulled a few vegetables out and began to cut them. 

Cooking was something that came easily to him. It brought him back to the days before he was a paladin, where he lived in comfort. His family, back then, always had a fully stocked kitchen. Being the boy who always wanted to help, he put his heart into learning how to make the most delicious food for the guests that would drop by. But this was the first time in years he’d cooked for other people. That thought filled him with nerves and determination. 

When he was halfway through his assortment of vegetables, heavy footsteps sounded behind him. “I hope ya like rabbit, cuz that’s what we’re… eating… tonight…” The barbarian slowed to a stop, staring down at Kiyotaka’s unfinished work. Kiyotaka, in turn, stared at the freshly hunted rabbit Mondo held in his hand.

Maybe it was petty, but Kiyotaka certainly wasn’t going to surrender this chance to serve something special to his new companions. Unfortunately, Mondo was equally unrelenting. This resulted in them scowling at each other in silence, waiting for the other to pull back.

“Hey dudes, when’s food gonna be ready?” Leon and Chihiro looked between the two men.

“ _ I  _ was prepared to make something for the four of us, but apparently  _ Owada _ seems to have decided to show off.”

“Last name basis, paladin? Smooth. But I ain’t backing down.”

“So wait… you both want to prepare something to eat, and you both happened to start at the same time?” Chihiro tapped her chin. “Can’t you just... make something together? That way you could both pitch in… right?”

Not without a few mumbled complaints, Chihiro persuaded them to work together. The split second she and Leon walked away, Kiyotaka and Mondo returned to scowling at each other.

“Believe me, I am no more excited about this than you are,” Kiyotaka muttered.

“If this all fucks up, then I’m blaming you,” Mondo muttered back.

—————

Rabbit stew was the compromise they came to. It was simple enough, and they both could play a role in preparing it. Kiyotaka scooped it out, and waited with bated breath for the others’ reactions. 

“Oh my gob, mmph, thish is so goob.” Leon took another large spoonful, actually attempting to finish chewing before talking again. “Taka. Holy shit. This is some pro chef stuff.”

Kiyotaka brought his spoon to his lips. After he’d gotten over the initial burning heat, he was hit by a deep, rich flavor. A flavor that was completely unfamiliar to him. He glanced up at Mondo. 

“Unfortunately... I cannot take all the credit. I prepared the stew, but Owada was the one who hunted and properly prepared the meat itself.”

“Man, not gonna lie, I would’ve thought this would be a disaster with all the arguing you guys do,” Leon said, gesturing to both of them with his spoon. “But I mean, if everything you guys make together is this good, you might as well just start a sorta restaurant together or somethin.” 

The two men looked at Leon, then both burst into laughter.

“Me?! With him?! Leon, I’ve gotta give it to ya, yer a fuckin’ riot!” The man barked out another laugh.

“Hahahaha! I could only imagine the horrors that would come from that!”

After their laughter had subsided, the two men realized that Leon and Chihiro were looking at them confusedly.

“Oh come on, seriously? The guy ticks me off. He’s so… fuckin’ paladin-y. Always has his back straight, always thinkin’ like he knows best, plus he’s—“

“Oh, you're one to talk!” Kiyotaka butt in, crossing his arms. “You’re like a child! You swear like a sailor, act as if you couldn’t care less…”

“I don’t think yer fit to talk with that ugly- ass armor of yours—!“ The man poked Kiyotaka in the chest for effect.

“Well, your hair leaves very much to be desired!” He flicked it, causing it to bounce for a few seconds.

“Touch the hair again, and I’ll pummel yer ass!” The barbarian was in his face now, but he stood his ground.

“Bring it on! Your tough-guy act won’t keep you from losing to me!”

“You son of a bitch, I’ll—!”

“U-uhm! Leon? Should we be doing something about this?” Chihiro looked seconds away from jumping out of her seat and stepping between the two of them.

“Hey, woah guys, tone it down a little. You’re scaring the rest of us.” Kiyotaka and Mondo turned to the others. Leon sighed. “Yeah, I don’t think we can stop them,” He said to the elf. “They’ve been like this since I met them, and honestly I’ve got no idea what’s happening. From the way they go at it, you’d think they’re enjoying this.”

“No, we’re not!” The two men yelled in unison. 

Leon put up both hands, in a  _ woah-don’t-turn-on-me _ manner. “Hey, c’mon, it’s kinda obvious, ain’t it?” Leon chuckled, scooping himself another bowl of the soup. “It’s that classic rivals situation. All the talk about wanting to destroy each other but they’re having too much fun to do it.”

Chihiro leant in. “There are a lot of tales about that, aren’t there?“ She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Honestly, it’s a little funny... I never thought this kind of thing happened in real life. Only in stories and songs.” She paused, a more somber look coming over her. “This whole day has been like a real adventure that I never knew I could be a part of. I’m still shocked that I’m sitting here now, with all of you.”

“Hey... think about it this way: maybe we’re at the start of some legendary story of our own! Imagine that!” Leon grinned, jumping from his seat. Kiyotaka now understood why he wanted to be a bard; he certainly had the energy of one. “An epic tale of adventure, danger, mystery.” His voice rose as he dramatically turned to each of them. “A tale of discovery and companionship... and rivalry too, of course.” He sent a pointed glance at Mondo and Kiyotaka after saying that. “C’mon! All of us meeting today can’t be a coincidence, right? I’m positive this is the beginning of something amazing!”

Mondo rolled his eyes. “And I’m positive you’re crazy.” Still, a small smile came onto his face.

They spent the next few hours talking about everything and nothing at all: places they’ve been or want to be, things they’ve seen and hope to see. In Kiyotaka’s chest, the optimistic notion that they could achieve those things together flickered to life. 

It wasn’t until the pot of stew had fully emptied and the sky had gone dark that they began to file away. Before long, Leon and Chihiro had gone off to their tents, leaving only Kiyotaka, Mondo, and the softly flickering fire between them. The black-haired man’s eyes wandered over to the person sitting across from him. He was staring into the fire, brow furrowed in solemn concentration. For a moment, Taka considered asking what he was thinking about, before the man’s lavender eyes met his. He raised a suspicious eyebrow.

“Aren’t ya gonna go sleep?”

“I’m waiting for you.” Kiyotaka straightened his back. “It’s of vital importance that one of us extinguish this fire. If it stays alight, it could possibly ignite the grass around the area. I have taken it upon myself to complete this important task.”

Mondo groaned. “Figures it was somethin’ like that.” For a moment, it looked like he was going to wave Kiyotaka off, tell him he’d take care of it himself. Instead, he went quiet. Back into that thoughtful trance. Suddenly, the man chuckled. “‘The classic rivals situation,’ huh? Imagine that.”

“Yes, how strange.”

Ever since he’d first laid eyes on Mondo Owada, the tension in the air had been palpable. And why wouldn’t it be? Every way one could look at it, the two of them were polar opposites. It was like the universe had dropped them in front of each other for the sole purpose of battle.

Kiyotaka realized that Leon might have been onto something. 

It was too late to admit that now, though.

“Owada, it has just occurred to me that we never finished our battle from this morning!” 

“Ya mean the one where you threatened me then ran away outta nowhere after accusing me of murder?”

“You know full well that my actions were justifiable.” Mondo raised an eyebrow to that. Kiyotaka continued nonetheless. “However! I think it is safe to say I would have come out on top if we had continued that battle.”

“It’s funny how ya say somethin’ so obviously wrong with that much confidence, paladin.” Mondo smirked. “Any day of the fuckin’ week, I’d take you down, no sweat! You can bet yer ass on that much!”

“Is that a challenge? If so, I fully accept!”

“Oy! Some of us need to sleep!” Leon yelled from inside his tent. The two of them cringed, snapping out of their intense staredown.

“Y’know what, I’ll go get the fire so you can get some shut-eye.” Mondo had lowered his voice to a low whisper. “But mark my words: this ain’t over.”

“Absolutely,” Kiyotaka whispered back. “I will hold you to your challenge, Mondo Owada.” He extended his hand, which the other man shook with a little too much grip. Kiyotaka gripped back.

—————

Mondo had to admit, the town they were entering was a nice little place. It certainly wasn’t a big city or anything, but had a busy sort of energy. Travelers and villagers alike passed by, greeting each other as they went on their way. Shopkeepers called out enthusiastically, showing off their wares to anyone who’d look over.

As for the four of them, they’d planted themselves outside a decently large house. Leon had gone inside to collect the reward with a vial of the pink liquid as proof of their achievement. The barbarian sighed, leaning against the wall. Chihiro was sitting down, arms wrapped around her legs. Kiyotaka was near the door, standing straight (as he always did). It had been awhile since they’d arrived, and they were starting to get bored. Just as Mondo thought he was gonna up and leave, Leon slammed the door open.

“Took ya long enough!” Mondo pushed himself off the wall. “So, how’d it go?” 

“Okay, he was weirded out by the blood,“ the redhead said, handing the vial back to Chihiro. “but he was really happy we came back with results!” 

Leon plopped down a few small bags of gold. “I asked him to separate it into four piles. One for each of us, right?”

“I suppose, but still… didn’t you say you wished to get a nice instrument for yourself? I do not want us to take that away from you.” Mondo and Chihiro nodded. Leon shook his head.

“Dude, I meant what I said when I said I’d split it fairly.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I’d probably be dead right now without you guys, so I can’t just take all the glory. Plus, I can get a perfectly fine lute with what I have. So don’t worry about it!”

Kiyotaka relaxed slightly, placing the pouch in his bag. 

Mondo swung his own bag over his shoulder. “That’s it, huh? Our first quest as a team is complete.”

“It feels... strangely official now,” Kiyotaka mused. “As if we are truly one unified party.”

Leon elbowed Chihiro lightly. “See, I knew they’d hop onboard to the idea.”

The cleric chuckled. “We should celebrate our victory. I think I saw an inn up the road.”

“Drinks?” Leon pointed at each of them expectantly, but didn’t wait for any confirmation before running off. “Alright, last one there is paying!” 

“I am perfectly happy to pay, there’s no need to—“ Kiyotaka started, but the other two had already sprinted after the fighter.  _ This is what I’m in for, I suppose. _ He found himself smiling as he followed suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Notes:  
> \- all of them are in their early twenties here  
> \- I feel like Leon’s often unjustly excluded from The Group™ by most of the fandom. I really do feel like he completes the dynamic, which is why he’s a core part of this fic.  
> \- also he deserves more depth than the original writers gave him
> 
> Updates on Thursdays (I hope)!


	4. The Complexities of Bardic Romance Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Leon scores a hot date.

The world, according to Leon Kuwata, was a simple place. As he believed it, the ingredients for a perfect life were a hearty drink, friendly company, and beautiful women. That night, he could check the first two off that list. The group had decided to hang out around that village for the next few days, since they weren’t in a rush to go anywhere. They each booked separate rooms in the local inn, and were currently drinking in the tavern. Mondo was regaling them with tales of his travels up north. He was a really good storyteller, even though they all doubted how true his stories were. Plus, Leon found it funny whenever Kiyotaka would point out the irresponsibility of his actions, causing the two of them to bicker. Still, it was all in good fun, and they were enjoying themselves. 

Leon took a drink of his beer, leaning back in his chair. His eyes were wandering towards the door when his world screeched to a halt.

There she was. She had long, dark blue hair, and eyes of the same color. Her outfit was… flattering, to say the least. She wore a white blouse and a blue bodice tied with a pink bow, as well as a skirt that was just past knee length. On her face, there was the purest smile Leon had ever had the pleasure of seeing. She almost glided to one of the tables, sitting down alone. All Leon could do was stare in a trance as she passed by.

A hand waved in front of his vision. The beauty flipped her hair. Leon wondered what someone would have to do to get hair that pretty. The waving hand turned to aggressive snapping, startling him. “Oy! Leon!” Mondo was attempting to get his attention. Leon continued to stare at the mystery girl.

“What?” He responded, without turning to look at the other man. She was talking with one of the barmaids now. Leon was sure that she had a beautiful voice. 

Mondo followed his gaze, letting out a low whistle when he realized what was happening. “Oh shit. Damn. She is  _ hot. _ ”

“Is she? I suppose that makes sense,” Kiyotaka said, glancing over. “Although, you two should redirect your gaze. Staring at strangers from afar for a long period of time can be quite unsettling on their end!” Chihiro nodded enthusiastically. 

Mondo sighed, turning back to his mug. “Much as I hate to admit it, yer right, paladin. S’not like I’ve got a chance anyways.”

“Speak for yourself, man. Imma talk to her.” He stood up, preparing to strut over when two pairs of arms yanked him back down to his seat. “Hey! What’s your guys’ problem?!”

“You need a fuckin’ plan, dude! You’ll get us kicked out if you act like a dumbass!” Leon grimaced as Mondo’s grip dug into his arm. Holding his other arm, Kiyotaka gave a curt nod of agreement.

“Besides, harassment is a major problem, and if you were to push her boundaries—“

“Woah, woah! I’m not that kinda guy!” Leon wrestled his arms free, then spun around in his seat, facing the table again. “Look, I’ve got a plan, that almost  _ always _ works, so don’t worry about it!” He was met with raised eyebrows. He groaned, then leaned in, placing both hands on the table. “Okay… I’ll tell you guys my method. But don’t go stealing my style, ‘cuz it only works with me, got it?”

He gestured forward, becoming serious. “Hover around the perimeter. Don’t ogle like a creep— glance til’ you catch her eyes. If she looks away, whatever, move on. If she stares back, boom, instant connection! Next step: approach from the side. Act cool and confident, don’t chicken out. If she’s all good with it, then you start talking, sparks fly, yaddayaddayadda you get the idea.” 

“That— do women actually like that?” Taka asked. “Chihiro, do women actually like that?” Chihiro looked up, surprised, then shrugged.

“I’m wondering... what if it doesn’t work, though?” Chihiro looked concerned.

“It will! Trust me on this! It works, like, 70% of the time.”

“At least it’s not being too much of a creep,” Mondo said, crossing his arms. “It’s more than nothin’, I guess.” Leon, upon hearing what he perceived as confirmation, jumped up from the table. 

“G-good luck!” Chihiro called to him. He sent back a double thumbs up before sitting near the bar.

—————

Mondo gripped the handle of his mug with white knuckles. The mood of the table had shifted to one of anticipation as the group awaited news of their friend’s romantic excursions. Kiyotaka and Mondo had both turned away from the table, as to not look suspicious. Chihiro kept a close watch, narrating the events.

“He’s walked over to the table. He’s talking with her and the barmaid,” Chihiro said. Mondo put his head in his hands, groaning.

“Goddamnit, why did we let him do this? 70% ain’t good enough odds!” He groaned again, louder this time, then looked at the other two desperately. “Can one of ya pray to yer gods or somethin’? I don’t want the guy to crash and burn here, ya know?”

“I do not believe the god of justice has time for troubles like this!”

“Nor does Lathander… but I’ll try for Leon’s sake!” Chihiro clasped her hands together. As for Mondo, all he could do was down his beer as fast as he could. He couldn’t measure how long had passed until the next time someone spoke.

“It looks like they’re... laughing.”

“Oh… that is not a good sign,” Kiyotaka said quietly. Mondo started gathering his things in preparation to bolt. Chihiro put up a hand.

“Nonono, wait... I think… Oh! He’s laughing  _ with  _ them!” 

“What?!” The men spun around to see that yes, Leon was indeed laughing with the women. They let out a collective sigh of relief. He was glad to see this hadn’t ended in catastrophic failure. 

“He gestured to the seat next to her.” _ The moment of truth. _

“Don’t fuck it up, don’t fuck it up…” Mondo murmured. 

“And… he’s in the chair! Mission accomplished!” Kiyotaka grinned brightly, and Chihiro clapped her hands together.  _ Thank god! _

Mondo felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned around to see a middle-aged barmaid leveling them with a serious look. “Are y’all friends of that red-haired guy?”

“Umm…” the three exchanged nervous glances. Mondo considered feigning ignorance, but Taka spoke first. “Yes, we are.”

“Alright, make sure to give him my congrats. He’s certainly got a catch there. She’s well known ‘round these parts.” The lady flashed a conspiratorial grin. None of them needed to ask for her to tell them more before she leaned in. 

“Sayaka Maizono. Have y’all heard of her?” They slowly shook their heads. “Then you’ve all been living under a rock. She and her troupe are bardic legends, even performed for royalty. She dropped by a few weeks ago with em’. Put on a great show. And now, for some reason, she came back! It’s an honor to have her, though, so I ain’t complaining.” 

Mondo glanced back at the two of them. He was gesturing wildly, as if telling a story.  _ He prolly has no idea who he’s talking to, huh?  _ He considered dragging him away before he got himself involved with a celebrity, but decided against it.  _ He’s having fun. That’s what’s important. _

The gossiping woman cleared her throat, then leaned in again. “There was… another reason I had to talk to y’all.” Her expression darkened, and she pointed directly at Chihiro. “Don’t go outside alone tonight, y’hear me?” The elf nodded, slightly panicked. “Good. I’m sure you’ll be fine, but… never hurts to be sure.” 

“Can you tell us why nighttime is unsafe?” Kiyotaka asked.

“I prob’ly shouldn’t be telling y’all this, but… starting five days ago, a lot of people have started vanishing at night. The younger, kinda quiet sorts. I’d rather not have one of them be you, got it?” Chihiro nodded again, visibly shaken. The lady perked up again, smiling. “That’s good. Don’t worry too much, though, cuz’ it looks like you’ve got a good group of friends. I should probably get back to my job, but remember to give that redhead my congrats!” She walked off, waving. 

“Hey. Chihiro. Are ya good there?”

“Y-yeah…” Her face hardened for an instant, but she shook her head quickly, as if to wave off the thoughts. “I’m okay… it just reminded me of something, that’s all.” 

”If ya say so.” Mondo figured that prying probably wouldn’t yield results since Chihiro didn’t want to talk about it. Either way, they didn’t have time to tackle that, as a flash of red came jogging up to the table.

“So! Guess who’s got two thumbs and a date with the cutest girl in town tomorrow? That’s right! This guy!” He pointed his thumbs at himself, grinning cheekily.

Chihiro rested her head on her chin, brightening with his arrival. “We were on the edge of our seats the entire time.” 

“Absolutely! I thought Owada was going to explode from all the panic of watching you.” Mondo shot him a  _ shut up paladin _ look, but Leon laughed. “However, you succeeded in your pursuits, which is wonderful!”

“Apparently, the girl you’re going on a date with is a really famous bard,” Chihiro continued. “She has a traveling troupe and everything. One of the barmaids actually told us to give you her congrats for being confident enough to ask her out.” 

“Huh? Wait, really?” Leon’s face flushed, and he scratched the back of his neck. “Aw man, I’ve never dated a celebrity before.” The nervous expression lingered for a moment, before vanishing into a confident grin. “Well, I’ve just gotta impress her with my awesome personality and good looks!”

“Dude, Leon, yer overconfidence is gonna kill ya one day.” Mondo smiled, slapping the redhead on the back. “Though, today, it’s carried ya far. How ‘bout we drink one last beer for the man of the hour?” Leon’s eyes lit up, and he turned to Taka as if to ask for his permission. The paladin sighed.

“Alright, but I’m cutting you off after this. We can’t have a hungover mess go out on a date tomorrow, okay?” Leon cheered, then dashed off to get the drinks. And so, the group celebrated their friend’s victory until exhaustion set in and they separated for their rooms. As Mondo walked to his, Chihiro approached him.

“Hey… Mondo...”

“Yeah? What’s up?” He cocked his head. She opened her mouth, then closed it with a frown.

“N-no, nevermind. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Without another word, she entered her room and shut the door. Mondo furrowed his brow, wondering if he should go after her. He sighed.  _ Might as well ask her ‘bout it tomorrow, after we’ve all gotten some sleep. _ With that thought in his mind, he drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

—————

Leon had spent all morning preparing. He’d woken up slightly earlier than normal, double and triple checked his hair, straightened out his outfit, and done everything else needed to make a good first impression. He wasn’t going to just make a good impression; he was going to make the best dang impression she’d ever seen.

He sat down on a bench in the town square and twiddled his thumbs. He didn’t want to admit it, but maybe he was a little more nervous than normal. Sayaka was a famous bard, after all. She’d probably met and impressed people that Leon could only dream of seeing. Nonetheless, he was never one to shy away from a challenge.

A light tap on his shoulder roused him from his thoughts. He turned to look where it came from, but saw nothing out of the ordinary; just the townspeople mulling around. When he looked over his other shoulder, he found himself looking right into a pair of bright blue eyes.

Sayaka broke into a smile, tilting her head. “Surprised?”

Leon chuckled. “Man, you spooked me pretty good.”

He stood, and she took a small step back. As she gracefully tossed her long hair over her shoulder, Leon couldn’t help but notice the way the sunlight seemed to make her glow. He’d thought she looked beautiful the night before, but during the daytime it was a whole new level.

She gave him a coy look, and he averted his eyes.  _ Right, Leon, play it cool today.  _

Within the hour, they’d grabbed sweet rolls from the local bakery and were strolling down the street. 

“So, I heard you’re a pretty famous bard.”

She gave him a sideways glance. “Are you a fan?”

“Funny story, I actually had no idea ‘til my friends told me. And that was after I’d already asked you out.” Leon shrugged, taking a bite of his sweet roll. “What instrument do you play?”

For a moment, Sayaka looked genuinely surprised. Then, she angled herself towards him, eyes crinkling. “I know how to play a few, but I’m in a group of traveling bards. They play the instruments while I sing.” She sang the start of a simple melody. Her voice was like honey, gentle and sweet. Then, she stopped, blushing. “I’m sorry, I get a little shy singing in places like this. I’m better onstage, I swear.”

“No, no! You, uh… you sounded really beautiful, actually.” He said, chuckling. He lightly touched her arm. “You don’t have to go on if you’re nervous, though.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him, eyes sparkling. She tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. “Well, I’ve talked enough about me. Let me hear a little about you. What sort of adventurer are you?”

Leon ran a hand through his hair. “Wouldn’t you know it, I’m a bit of a bard myself!” The words came out of his mouth before he could reflect on them. He cursed himself silently. He was no bard; just a fighter who liked the idea of playing music. 

In spite of this, Sayaka’s eyes lit up. That justified it, at least a little. “Really? That’s amazing! It’s not often I get to meet other bards like this!” Leon felt another punch of guilt in his stomach.  _ Ouch. _ “What instrument do you play?”

“Oh, I play the lute.” That much was true, at least. Even though he’d only just bought an instrument of his own, he’d still picked up the basics on how to play it over the years.

Suddenly, she clasped his hand. “Hey, I have an idea! What if we could perform together? I can sing, and you can play!”

Leon could feel his face starting to heat by the hopeful way she was looking at him. “Man, I’d love to do that, I really would, but, uh… my lute’s broken.” Another stupid lie. The dang thing was actually sitting on his bed, probably collecting dust. He cursed himself again for missing the opportunity of a lifetime because he’d never taken music seriously.

Sayaka’s face fell, but she still gave him a sympathetic smile, running her thumb along the back of his hand as she pulled it away. “That’s okay. Maybe another time?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.” 

They sat in a content silence, quietly watching the going-ons of the town. Or in Leon’s case, catching quick glimpses of the girl he sat with.

On the other side of the town square, he noticed a small band of musicians beginning to play a jaunty tune. 

“Oh, I think I know this one!” Sayaka said, looking over. She hummed along with the melody, bobbing her head to the beat. An idea sparked in Leon’s head, and he jumped up from his seat. 

He spun around, extending a hand to Sayaka. “C’mon, lemme show you something.” An amused look entered her eyes, before she lightly put her hand in his. There was a spring in his step as he dragged her to the performers.

Leon knew that he was no bard, but if there was one thing he  _ did  _ know, it was how to do a damn good dance. 

He’d grown up on the eastern docks of Espairia, spending most of his youth trying to impress the girls there. One girl (whose name he’d long forgotten) had been fascinated with the jigs they did in the tavern. He’d spent a month hard at work, learning from the pros and perfecting each step. Now that he’d reached the band, he prayed his practice wasn’t in vain. He let go of Sayaka’s hand and let his feet fall into the familiar rhythm of the dance.

And strangely, it felt natural. When was the last time he’d danced like this? He didn’t remember, but the movements flowed in and out of each other, his feet barely touching the ground before they’d bounce up again. Someone in the band let out a whoop, and Leon did a heel click before continuing to dance.

His eyes landed on Sayaka, who was watching him with curious eyes. He did a dramatic bow, and extended his hand with a flourish, inviting her to dance. She giggled and curtsied, lifting her skirt gracefully. But instead of taking his hand, she immediately jumped into the jig herself. 

A few people around them cheered. They’d started to draw a crowd. Her steps were quick but graceful, her skirt twirling hypnotizingly with each step. She curtsied again, smiling playfully at him with a storm of applause at her back.  _ Oh, it’s on now!  _ He started up his dance again, leveling her with a confident smirk. She matched him with a coy smile.

The crowd of spectators grew larger and larger as their competition progressed. Each time Leon would throw in a fancy move, Sayaka would match it with one of her own. Leon couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun. The audience began to clap in rhythm as the music started to crescendo. The two of their eyes met as the song climbed to the end, and it struck Leon that it was now or never. In a last show of theatrics, Leon lifted Sayaka into the air, before pulling her into a dip as the music reached it’s grand finish. 

The people began to cheer, but it seemed to fade into the background. The moment slowed as he held Sayaka in the dip, their heavy breathing in the same rhythm. Her face was flushed red, and he knew his must have looked the same. His eyes flitted down to her lips.  _ She’s so close now… _

Her eyes unlatched from his, and the world grew back into focus. Leon pulled her back to her feet. Still, as she began to interact with the band, her hand stayed clasped in his. 

—————

As it stood, the only one of the four who had any plans that day was Leon. For some, such as the paladin in the room next door, this meant early rising and exploration. For Mondo, it was a time to relax ‘til the sun was shining at the top of the sky. 

A mix of hunger and boredom was what eventually dragged him out of his room. Everyone else was long gone, so Mondo meandered into town. He decided now was the time to buy the bare basics plus an apple to tide over his hunger. Still, he found the weight of the gold in his pouch was still significantly heavier than he was used to.  _ Huh! Maybe I gotta treat myself. _

That turned out to be a harder task than it sounded. He ended up wandering through stalls, eyes sliding over the wares without interest. It didn’t come as a surprise that the only place he gave a shit about was the blacksmith and armory.  _ Damn, I gotta get some other hobbies. _

“Owada,” a familiar voice said, cutting through the casual air of the market. Mondo turned his head to see Kiyotaka, standing straight by the entrance of the smithy. A smirk immediately spread across Mondo’s face.  _ Fuckin’ finally! Something interesting! _

“Damn, paladin, am I glad to see you.” He gestured to the man’s armor. It looked considerably brighter than before. “Nice paint job, by the way. You gonna blind your enemies with that?”

Kiyotaka walked to the swords on display, but continued speaking to Mondo. “Polished, actually. It’s important to keep armor in pristine condition, as to avoid permanent damage.” Mondo rolled his eyes, turning to look at one of the axes on the wall. Kiyotaka’s voice stayed flat, but he could hear the wry jab in it. “Plus, one makes a better impression when in crisp uniform.” Out of the corner of his eye, Mondo saw Kiyotaka look his attire up and down in disdain.

“What’re ya tryin’ to say, paladin?” He put a hand on his chest in mock offense. “At least I’ve got style.” He closed the distance between the two of them, then knocked on the other’s breastplate with his fist. “Yer about as attractive as that hunk of metal’ll make ya.”

“It’s substance over style, Owada.” The paladin didn’t break eye contact as he jabbed his finger at the uncovered part of Mondo’s chest. “This right here is a completely, irresponsibly exposed patch of skin.”

“Well, shit, paladin. I didn’t know you were lookin’. If ya wanted to see me shirtless, ya could’ve asked.” Kiyotaka pulled his hand away, eyes widening momentarily. Mondo felt a short burst of glee for being able to fluster him.

It was short lived, as Taka’s face hardened. “Absolutely not. It’s only a spot of potential weakness. If there’s any reason to look there, it’s to choose a space to strike.”

“Ah, s’pose you’ve got a point there.” Taka grinned for a split second, then pressed his lips together to maintain his calm demeanor. “Don’t get too cocky yet. It ain’t like yer gonna get a hit on me.”

“Claim that as much as you like! It won’t take long to find how wrong you are!”

Mondo cracked his knuckles. “We can go at it whenever you wanna, paladin! Just say the word!”

“Are you two just gonna keep shouting at each other or will you actually buy something?” Neither of them had noticed the annoyed blacksmith come behind them, nor did they notice the small audience they’d drawn in their bickering.  _ Shit. _

Kiyotaka was quick to act, furiously apologizing for the scene they’d caused. Mondo, on the other hand, was doing his best to slink away and avoid causing any more of a commotion.

It wasn’t a spoken decision, but the two of them ended up walking together through the market. Mondo internally rationalized that fact.  _ It’ll prolly be more interesting this way, right?  _

Ahead of them, a large crowd had begun to form in the town square. Despite his height, he still couldn’t tell what the excitement was about. The paladin had caught attention to this as well, and was beginning to head in that direction. 

A small surge of dread surged through Mondo at the prospect of being in the middle of all those people. He had always hated crowds, and all the pushing and shoving that came with them. He sent a longing stare to the far-emptier areas around the square. Near the back of the crowd, he spotted a familiar color, and he immediately put out a hand to stop Kiyotaka.

The paladin frowned and pushed the arm down. “What?”

Mondo split from the main road, taking a closer look. Kiyotaka followed him, his eyes finally matching where Mondo was looking. “Wait, is that… Chihiro?”

They were far away, but her closed-in posture and the green of her cloak made her unmistakable. However, her hood was thrown over her head, so they couldn’t see her face. The two of them began to walk around the crowd, heading towards her. 

Kiyotaka, with his skill in the art of speed-walking, reached her first. He had a broad smile on his face as he tapped her on the shoulder. Immediately, she spun around and bonked Kiyotaka’s armor with her staff, causing a quick  _ clang _ . 

Her eyes widened. “Taka? Oh my god, I’m so sorry… I didn’t know it was you, and… did I do any damage with that hit? I’m sorry.”   
  
Kiyotaka looked down at his armor, then up at her again. “It doesn’t appear that you did. I sincerely apologize for surprising you! Owada and I had noticed you here, so we decided to say hello!” His smile returned, as if nothing had happened. “And if it would not be too bold to ask, why do you have your hood up? It is not as if there is any reason for anonymity, yes?”   


Around them, the people burst into applause. All three of their eyes were drawn to the middle of the crowd, where it was now clear enough to see what all the fuss was about. Mondo broke into a grin as he saw a familiar red-haired man in the center. “Woah, holy shit, it’s Leon! Man, I gotta go an—“

“N-no! You can’t talk to them!” Chihiro stumbled in front of him, holding out her hands. She tensed and pulled the cloak around her, eyes bouncing around their surroundings.

Mondo frowned, pulling back. “Oy, Chi, are you okay? Yer makin me nervous.”

Chihiro sent him a serious look, and glanced around again. At this point, Kiyotaka had caught on. She spoke in a hushed tone. “...not right here.” 

She shuffled away at a speed that left Mondo and Taka jogging to keep up. When they finally stopped, it was in a small alleyway between two buildings. “I’m really sorry for bringing you out here… Taka’s armor is pretty recognizable and catches a lot of attention in the sun.” Mondo sent a raised eyebrow to the paladin, who pouted for a split second. Chihiro didn’t notice, and continued. “I didn’t want them to recognize us.”

The elf threw back her hood, and Mondo couldn’t help but cringe. Her skin was far paler than the days before, and heavy bags hung under her eyes. To make matters worse, her hair was a mess, and it looked like she was forcing herself to keep standing upright.

The barbarian crossed his arms. “Alright, something’s definitely wrong. Ya look like shit.”

“Hey! That’s quite rude!”

“Taka, it’s fine. He’s right.” Chihiro rubbed her eyes. “I… couldn’t sleep at all last night. I had a lot on my mind…” 

“Are ya talkin’ about what that lady told us yesterday?” Mondo asked. Chihiro nodded quickly. 

Kiyotaka pursed his lips. “I can certainly understand your concern, but that still doesn’t explain why you are currently acting so secretive. Additionally, I cannot help but be concerned by your adamance to not speak with Leon and Sayaka.”

“That’s the thing, though…” she bit her lip. “I really couldn’t have  _ them  _ know I was there.” She leaned in. “The truth is… I was trying to keep an eye on Sayaka.”

“But that’s…!” Kiyotaka stopped, and his eyes widened. “Wait, if you were attempting to follow Sayaka… you don’t mean to say that you suspect her of anything, do you?”

Chihiro sent him a hardened look that showed he was right on the money. “I don’t know when it was… it must have been a little past midnight? Either way… I saw someone moving around in front of my window. I looked closer, and that’s when I saw that it was Sayaka. She was putting on a cloak, and I saw a weapon in her hand. And then… she started following a girl.” Chihiro glanced between Kiyotaka and Mondo. “I asked around this morning, and people told me someone else had vanished in the night. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Damn. This is… d’ya mean that Sayaka could be behind all that?” Mondo thought back to her sitting in the inn, smiling and laughing. He couldn’t imagine that same woman abducting innocent people. 

“I’m not quite sure yet… but I’m positive that I saw her last night.” Chihiro said. “How about this: tonight, visit my room. If my theory’s right… then she’ll go out again, and then someone else will vanish. We can watch out of my window, and if we see her, then we know it’s true.”

Mondo looked to Kiyotaka, who was looking back at him with his own questioning look. The paladin’s eyebrows quirked up, concerned and curious. 

Mondo nodded. “Alright. We’ll help ya.” Chihiro’s shoulders relaxed a little. “Jus’ make sure to get a little sleep in the meantime, yeah? We’ll be statin’ up to investigate, so you’ll need all the sleep you can get.”

“O-okay. Thanks.” Chihiro gave a tight-lipped smile, before stepping out of the alleyway. 

The other two stepped into the sun once again. Kiyotaka cleared his throat. “I suppose now would be the time for us to part ways, yes?”

“Yeah. I’ll see ya tonight, paladin.”

He nodded solemnly, turning on his heel and marching back towards the market square. Mondo watched him go. Now, there was only the question of what the hell he was gonna do with the rest of his time. His eyes caught a paper tacked onto the wall, fluttering in the wind. He yanked it off.

“Missing person… last seen headed to the market, huh?” He wondered aloud. He clicked his tongue, rolling the paper up and putting it in his bag. There wasn’t anything he was looking for in the shops before, but now, the best use of his time would be to search for information.  _ Yeah, that seems right. _

It looked like there was a mystery afoot. And Mondo was damn sure they were gonna get to the bottom of it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Notes:  
> \- Also, thank you google for teaching me how to approach attractive women in public without seeming like a creep  
> \- Originally, this story was supposed to function by D&D rules, but I kind of moved away from that as time went on. Let’s just say elves age at the same rate as humans, and they need the same amount of sleep too.
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	5. The Complexities of Bardic Romance Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mondo learns more about the situation.

Checking to make sure no one was looking, Mondo pushed open the door to Chihiro’s room. The moment he entered, Taka shushed him. He pointed to the desk. Chihiro’s head rested on the table, hand laying atop a few scattered sheets. The brunette nodded slowly.

“It took you long enough to get here,” Kiyotaka whispered. “I was starting to believe you wouldn’t come at all.” 

“Yeah, I’m late, I know.” Mondo kept his voice low. “Had to look into some shit. What’s the situation?”

“Nothing yet. Alter Ego’s on lookout. He’ll ring a bell if he sees anyone suspicious going out. For the time being, all we can really do is wait.” The paladin crossed his arms, sighing. Mondo hummed in agreement, lounging on Chihiro’s bed. He closed his eyes, zoning out.

The room had become quiet. Actually, no. Quiet was an overstatement, since Kiyotaka was pacing up a storm. The constant shuffling rhythm was starting to get on Mondo’s nerves. “Oy, paladin. Wouldja stop that?” He peeked an eye open, turning his head to look at the man. 

“Oh. I apologize, I hadn’t realized what I was doing.” He leant against the wall again. Mondo sat up on the bed, stretching out. 

“It’s fine, just don’t do it too much. It’s annoying.” The quiet set in again, this time without the shuffling noises. Unfortunately, that had brought Mondo’s attention to the paladin. His fingers drummed out of rhythm on his arm. His gaze shifted uneasily around the room. As a whole, he was a portrait of anxiety. 

Well, he always looked way too stiff, sure, but now that he could barely sit still, it was obvious that something was up. Mondo cursed the sympathetic pang in his chest. He scanned the room, looking for something to talk about. His eye quickly caught a book sitting atop the nightstand within arms reach.

He grabbed, flipping to a random part.  _ Maybe I could talk about whatever this is _ . That hope was immediately squandered as soon as he looked at the page. Complete gibberish. 

“Owada, are you having trouble with that?” Kiyotaka asked quietly.

“Pfft, no,” Mondo said on impulse. He focused on the writing, pretending like it made any sense to him. Down on the page, the text jeered at him. It looked elvish, judging from the characters.

Kiyotaka pushed himself off the wall, slowly moving to Mondo’s spot on the bed. The slightest lilt tinted his voice. “Are… are you absolutely sure?”

“Uh, yeah? Why’re ya asking me that?”

The paladin brought a hand to his mouth, only half-managing to hold back a chuckle. “You do know that reading is much easier when the book is oriented the  _ right _ way, correct?”

Mondo blinked, then sputtered, turning the book around to see that yes, he was indeed reading it upside down. Heat flowed into his face. “H-hey! Shut up!”

Kiyotaka’s eyes crinkled. “I wasn’t going to say anything else,” he teased. He extended a hand, and Mondo passed the book to him.

“I would have been surprised if you’d been able to read this in the first place,” he said, flipping through the pages. “I don’t know where you would have learned elvish. I wish I could have had the chance to learn while I was younger.”

“How’d ya know the book was in elvish anyways?”

“Chihiro showed me some before you dropped in. I don’t know elvish either, but she translated it for me. It’s actually quite fascinating!”

“...what is?”

“Rune magic. That’s what the book is about.” He showed Mondo a page with a circular rune sketched on it. “This one is a magical fire trap, apparently. Even though she’s a cleric, she wanted to take the time to learn about other types of magic. It’s definitely a respectable pursuit, as one should never stop seeking knowledge.”

“You guys are such nerds, holy shit.”

“And yet you picked up the book, Owada.” Kiyotaka put it back in Mondo’s hand. “There might be something to be said for your curiosity!”

Mondo thought about it for a second. He really wasn’t much of a learner, was he? No, he’d picked up the book as a topic of conversation to set Kiyotaka at ease. He had succeeded in that regard. The paladin’s shoulders had relaxed, and his red eyes were no longer restless. Maybe the night wouldn’t be so tense after all.

_ Ting! Ting! _

Chihiro shot up from where she was sitting, as did the other two. They rushed to the window, crowding around it. It wasn’t a very big space, so they had to squish in to see anything.

“I’m sorry for falling asleep,” Chihiro whispered, looking over. “Wait, Mondo, when did you get here? And… why are you holding my book?”

Taka shushed her, pointing out the window. A figure stood in the street, covered in a black cloak. They seemed to dig through their bag, eventually finding and lighting a candle. The figure turned to look back at the inn. 

Even in the faint candlelight, the long blue hair and gentle features were unmistakable:  _ Sayaka Maizono.  _ She no longer had the kind smile that they’d seen in the tavern; instead, a grave frown was present. Her right hand settled on her waist, where a silver rapier sat. She turned down the path. Following the general direction of her eyeline, Mondo saw the shape of a figure further down the road. The bard stepped into the shadow of a nearby house, as if hiding from them. Then, with one last glance around, she followed.

“There. There’s your proof,” Chihiro murmured.

Mondo rose to his feet, putting his hands on his hips. “Well? What’re we waiting for? We need to go after her!”

“No, we can’t,” Chihiro said. “Not yet. We really shouldn’t rush into this… none of us are properly prepared for a battle.”

The barbarian groaned. “Fine. Tomorrow. Soon as we see the candle, we’re goin’ after her.” Mondo turned to leave the room.

“Wait!” Kiyotaka lifted a hand. “There is… one last thing we must discuss.” 

“Yeah? What’s up?”

The man bit his lip. “None of us have brought him up yet.”

Of course. Their red-headed friend. 

“If he finds out…” Chihiro said, tapping a finger to her chin.

“He can’t,” Mondo said resolutely. “If he goes and tells her, we’re done for. We aren’t gonna let that happen.”

“You’re right. Plus, who knows how he would react?” Chihiro looked between the two of them. “We need to keep this secret.”

Kiyotaka nodded. “I see. Very well then.”

“Yeah.”

—————

The day seemed to move at a snail’s pace. Chihiro and Kiyotaka had wanted to spend their days preparing their spells for that night, so Mondo returned to the smithy to sharpen his axe. 

It was sorta obvious that the blacksmith recognized him from the scene he’d created the day before, but said nothing of it. Unfortunately, as Mondo took his axe back from the blacksmith, a different kind of interruption appeared.

“Mondo! Yo!”

“G-gah!” Mondo jumped, jerking back. 

“Woah, dude, chill, it’s just me.” Leon threw him a confused look. Mondo felt that guilty urge, like a child hiding a secret from a parent. Still, Leon was no parent, and it’s not like Mondo was even doing anything suspicious.  _ I’m just sharpening my blade, right? Nothing sus there. Chill the fuck out, Mondo. _

“Well, whatever. What’s up? How’ve you been?”

_ I’ve been tense as fuck all day ‘cuz I’m going after someone who might be a kidnapper. _ “Nothin’ much. Kinda bored. How’re you?”

“Ah, I’m feeling good. Uh... hey, I’m sorry.” Leon sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. “I just realized I haven’t really spent much time with you guys since we got here. That’s not very cool of me, right?”

“Hey, it’s fine. We’re keeping ourselves busy, yeah?”

“I know, it’s just that it’s not really fair to you guys.” He frowned, the guilt obviously kicking in. “Hey, y’know what? Let’s hang out tomorrow. Just the four of us. I’ve been touring the town, maybe I could show you guys the cool stuff!”

“You really don’t need to...” Mondo started, but broke down after seeing the earnest look Leon was giving him. “Alright, I s’pose it might be fun.”

Genuine relief spread across Leon’s face. “Yeah... yeah! I owe you all that much.” 

Naturally, they wandered back in the direction of the inn. “So, uh... what have you been doing today, anyways? You said you were touring the town?”

“Oh, yeah, Sayaka was showing me around.” The name sent an electric shock through Mondo, and not in a good way. “She took me to a few of the hotspots, but we also explored a few hidden spots, which was awesome. Man, she knows everything about music and stuff. We didn’t kiss yet, though, but I know we’re getting close. Who knows what’ll happen in the next few days?”

“Mm-hmm.” Mondo said. Leon kept babbling on about the day, but Mondo wasn’t quite listening. At least, not until Leon stopped walking.

“Hey, man, be real with me. What is it?” 

“H-huh?”

“You look... off. Like you’re upset at me or something. I dunno.”

Mondo cursed internally. He didn’t know his expression was so transparent. Or maybe Leon was just good at reading faces. Mondo wondered if he could just brush this off, but it’s not like he was such a good liar either.

_ Maybe I could tell him the truth.  _ He briefly imagined himself gripping Leon by the shoulders and ordering him to stay the hell away from that girl. 

But Mondo only sighed.  _ The guy’s got no idea who he’s really with, right? He’s prolly having a great time. Who’m I to ruin that?  _ The best course of action, Mondo decided, was to deliver something of a half-truth. Or maybe hint at something and hope that it stuck. 

“Ya do know that this kinda thing ain’t gonna last, right?” Mondo said. “I mean... she’s a bard and you’re a fighter. Both of you are prolly gonna leave this place and forget about each other, right? Plus, I mean... you barely know the first thing about her in the first place. Maybe she’s not the kinda girl you think she is. Or... maybe one of you’ll get bored and move on.” Mondo rubbed his face. “I dunno. I’m jus’ sayin’... don’t get your hopes up.”

“That’s what it’s all about?!” Leon said, surprised. He sighed and patted Mondo on the shoulder.

He paused. “Hey, Mondo... you don’t really do much the romance thing, do you?” Mondo shook his head. Leon smiled, a genuine look. “I thought not. That bit sounded way too glum to not be honest.

“Look, I’m not a complete idiot. I’m not in it to get some sorta long-term love and I don’t really pretend I am. Since it’s not gonna last anyways, why not squeeze every drop of fun out while you can? I’m not the type to settle down, and I’m not the type to chase a girl to the ends of the earth either. You get me?”

Mondo stared at him blankly. “So... you don’t really care for anyone you flirt with?”

“Psh, I didn’t say that. You gotta treasure all the memories, but not let ‘em tie you down to one place. That’s how this kinda thing works. Sayaka knows it too. Hell, she’s probably got the art down to a tee.” 

Leon ran a hand through his hair, looking around the street. “Just between you and me, she might just be the best girl I’ve been with yet. Super sweet, talented as hell, and of course drop-dead beautiful. I mean, she’s something else.” Just for a moment, his gray eyes sparkled with affection. “That’s why I gotta enjoy my time with her as much as possible, right? That’s how I live life. Which is why you don’t need to worry about me.” Mondo’s jaw clenched.

They reached the entrance to the inn. Leon scratched the back of his neck again. “Shoot, I spent that whole time talking. Sorry, man.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Feel like I know you a lot better now, somehow.”

“Really? Huh, neat.” Leon placed his hand on the door. “Don’t forget: the four of us, tomorrow. It’ll be our day!”

“Yeah, sure thing.” And then he was gone, the door swinging shut behind him. 

_ Don’t need to worry about you, huh?  _ Mondo met his own eyes in the reflection of his axe.  _ Looks like I don’t have a choice. _

—————

_ Greataxe? Check. Handaxes? Check. Missing person posters? Yup.  _ Mondo drummed his fingers on the windowsill.  _ All that’s left to do is wait for a certain someone. _

That was the plan, and he was sure the other two were doing the same thing. They’d be slightly weaker than their last battle without a fourth member, but if the whole thing was being caused by one bard, it probably wouldn’t be so bad. According to the paladin, Leon had gone to bed early that day, which was a big relief. 

He was shaken from his thoughts as soon as he saw Sayaka’s shadow move in front of his window.  _ It’s go time. _

As Mondo arrived at the front of the inn, Chihiro cast a spell that created a green stream leading down the road (some sort of tracking spell, he assumed). She had her hood up, and a solemn expression on her face. “Are you ready?” Chihiro asked.

“Yeah. Are you?” She nodded a little too sharply. “Remember, we’ve got your back no matter what. Now, where the fuck is that paladin?” 

He was late. Rather uncharacteristic of him. _ He gave me shit for being late last night, but he’s gone right when we need him? What an ass. _ Chihiro shifted impatiently, obviously not wanting to wait any longer. 

However, they didn’t have to. From behind them, the door swung open.

“Fuckin’ finally! It took ya long eno—“ His breath caught in his throat.

Instead of the paladin’s bright white armor greeting him, he stood face to face with the last person he wanted to see. There Leon Kuwata was, a scimitar in each hand. The swing of the door sounded again, this time with the paladin walking out. With a matter-of-fact tone, he spoke.

“I told him. I told him everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taka you snitch
> 
> Story notes:  
> \- Leon’s the only one of the four who’s ever been in a relationship  
> \- I had to rewrite a chunk because I figured out midway through that clerics don’t actually use spellbooks. Luckily it worked out for the best and I could use the opportunity to set up some stuff heehee.  
> \- Sorry if this chapter is slightly shorter and less eventful than normal. Don’t worry, next week’s update will be action packed ;)
> 
> Updates weekly!


	6. The Complexities of Bardic Romance Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the mystery is solved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I finally got this chapter out. Hooh. Well, at least the next ~4 chapters will be on time, since I have very minimal editing changes to do for them :)

“You did WHAT!?” Mondo was up in Kiyotaka’s face, resisting the urge to strangle him right then and there. Just barely.

“I went to Leon earlier today, and told him what we found.” The paladin’s voice was quiet, just barely staying calm.

“Taka… how could you?” Chihiro stuttered out. Mondo tried to form words, but found himself too enraged to. Instead, he let out a loud, frustrated noise and punched a nearby wall. The sound of fist hitting stone resonated, causing the paladin to shutter.

“Goddamnit! All ya had to do was keep your fuckin’ mouth shut,” Mondo hissed. “But ya couldn’t, and now everything’s ruined! God, what the fuck were you thinking?”

“Because if anyone needed to know, it was him!” Kiyotaka exclaimed. The paladin let out a shaky breath. “Because… even though I knew that telling him would hurt him… he has no right being in the dark! ” Mondo looked at Leon, whose eyes were cast down to the cobblestone. “If we are to be a team, we need to trust each other,” Kiyotaka continued. “I couldn’t stand by and watch us sneak behind our friend’s back, disregarding how any of this might affect him.” The barbarian ran a hand down his face, then slumped onto the wall. 

“Oh my god… I’ve been a fucking asshole, haven’t I...?”

“L-Leon…” Chihiro turned to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. Her eyes began to water. “I am so so  _ so—“ _

“Hey. Don’t apologize.” Leon spoke, for the first time, using a soft tone that Mondo had never expected to hear from the man. He let out a long exhale. “I… okay, yeah, I’m hurt. I can’t lie about that much.” He turned to Mondo. “You were trying to warn me today, weren’t you? That’s why you were acting so weird?”

“I-I… Yeah.” 

“That explains it. Damn, I can’t believe I didn’t have a clue.” Leon shook his head. “I know I should be more mad, but I can’t help thinking that if you guys were in the same situation, I’d have done the exact same thing. And… right now, what I  _ really _ want is some answers, okay?” The other three slowly nodded.

“W-we should go, then. Before we lose her.” Chihiro put her hand out, and the green trail glowed slightly brighter. They followed it, winding back and forth through the quiet town streets. 

It was strange, and a little unsettling, seeing the town at this hour, without the bustling sounds. After a while, Chihiro put her hand up, stopping them, then pointed over at the street. There she was. Sayaka. The elf put a finger to her lips, and they started to sneak forward. 

_ Step.  _ Sayaka had slowed down her pace and was looking at some sort of map.

_ Step.  _ She had stopped walking entirely, but didn’t hear them yet. They were close now, almost there...

_ Stomp! _ One of them had stepped a little too forcefully. Mondo figured that it was either Kiyotaka or himself, since neither of the two were very good at being quiet. Either way, he didn’t have time to place the blame. The noise caused Sayaka to spin around, then dash off into an alleyway.

“Shit,” Mondo muttered. 

Chihiro began to run after her. “I’ll follow her!”

“We’ll cut her off!” The paladin said, running up the road before turning a corner. Mondo and Leon gave each other a nod before the fighter ran behind a building. The barbarian dashed forward down the road, hoping to catch her on the other side of the alley. He turned the corner. Turns out that she’d already made it to the other side. She almost bumped into him, he reached out to grab onto her. She ducked out of the way, running into the next alley over. Mumbling profanities, Mondo weaved behind the next building.  _ Dammit, a dead end. No time to turn around.  _

Making haste, he grabbed one of the wooden supports and scaled the building. He managed to see Kiyotaka cut her off. The man lunged at her. She turned sharply, bolting through the gap between buildings. Luckily, that was right in Mondo’s direction. He jumped off the building, standing in the middle of the street. He glanced forward, seeing Chihiro running up on the other side of the street. Sayaka ran into the middle of the intersection, then stopped to look at all the paths. On one side stood Mondo. On the other stood Chihiro. Kiyotaka had blocked off the path behind her.

“Looks like the end of the li—“ Mondo said as Sayaka climbed to one of the house’s balconies and used it to vault over Chihiro’s head. He groaned, then dashed after her. 

After a long and tiring chase, the three were able to corner her at a dead end. The walls were smooth, with no balconies or ledges to hold onto. They all paused for a moment, panting. 

“There is nowhere left to run, Miss Maizono.” Kiyotaka’s sword flickered with a white glow. The bard lifted her head. Her blue eyes flitted between each of them. She had stare of a trapped animal, desperate to fight, to survive.

Sayaka let out a yell, drawing her rapier and lunging at Mondo. She was fast; faster than he’d anticipated. He let out a choked noise as her rapier barely missed him. She swung back, aiming for Chihiro. In an instant, Kiyotaka blocked the blow. She threw her weight forward at him. He swiftly moved out of the way, then bashed her arm against the wall with his shield. She cried out, stumbling back. Her rapier clattered to the ground. She clutched her wrist.

Mondo moved to step forward, but felt himself get shoved aside. Leon stood firmly in between Sayaka and the rest of them, scimitars raised. “Guys, stop this! I-I won’t let you fight her anymore!” 

Kiyotaka lowered his blade. “Leon, she lunged at us. We had no choice!”

“L-Leon…?” Sayaka’s voice cut through. The redhead spun to look at her. When their eyes locked, her expression shifted to a look of confusion and hurt. “Are you… are you a part of this?” 

“Sayaka, I… I don’t know! I should be asking you that!” He grabbed a fistful of his hair. “Goddamnit, this is stupid. I’m stupid. You’re stupid. This is all just stupid stupid stupid—“

“Leon, are you—“

“No, I’m not okay! I’m just really freaking confused! I mean…” he groaned again. “Sayaka, lemme just ask you this: what the fuck?” She grimaced. “I can’t believe I’m getting so angry about this, but like… we danced together! And it was nice! And you were always so excited to go to all these secret spots and I just thought ‘oh, hey, whatever’ but… man, I can’t believe I didn’t see this coming! What the hell!” 

He paused, then pointed at Sayaka accusingly. “You’d better have a good explanation for all of this so it’s all a misunderstanding, ‘cuz I don’t want to be the guy who went on two dates with a serial kidnapper.“

“Wait, you think I’m the one who—?“

“Oh thank god.” Leon leant against the wall.

“Wait. We can’t just take her word for it.” Taka put his hand up. “If you’re really  _ not  _ the kidnapper, then why were you sneaking out every night? Why were you following people around? Why did you run when we went after you?”

“I needed to find out who was doing this, so I followed people who I thought might be targeted. I ran from you because I thought… well, I thought the people behind the abductions were trying to take me down.”

Chihiro stepped forward. “You… needed to find out?” 

Sayaka swallowed. “A week ago... one of the girls in my group was taken. We had our performance in the theater that night, and… the rest of us wanted to head back, and she asked to stay a little longer. The next day… she was gone.” 

She straightened her back, but her trembling voice betrayed her fear. ”I know she’s not dead. I don’t know how, but I just  _ know _ she’s out there somewhere. My friends… and my life, and music, mean everything to me. They’re what I live for. So… I’m willing to do anything to save her. Even if it means I have to put it all on the line for it!” She stopped talking, staring forward with determination. 

The others exchanged glances, then sheathed their weapons.

“So… you’ve been searching for your friend? That makes sense.” Chihiro brought a hand to her face thoughtfully.

Kiyotaka bowed deeply. “Very well then! Your mission is honorable, and the person responsible for this must be stopped! We will help you in any way we possibly can!” 

Sayaka smiled, but then cringed. “Umm… before that… I think my wrist is broken, so…”

“OH!” The paladin rushed over, hurriedly healing her wound. “I am so terribly sorry for our suspicion and pursuit of you! This blame falls entirely on our shoulders.”

“I think I  _ was _ acting pretty suspicious,” Sayaka said. “Honestly… I’m more happy I’m not alone in this anymore.”

They sat in a circle in the alleyway, Sayaka’s evidence laid out in front of them. She picked up a heavily marked-down map. “I’ve made a point of watching all the crowded parts of town. The wealthy districts were quiet, so I crossed them off.”

“Oh yeah, that reminds me.” Mondo fished out the slightly-crumpled stack of missing person posters. “A few days ago I went around town grabbing these and talkin’ to people. Here’s all the ones I could find.”

Kiyotaka cocked his head at the barbarian. “That’s quite a decent stack, Owada. I’ll admit, that was rather forward-thinking of you!”

“Ya don’t gotta sound so surprised about it.”

“Wait.” Chihiro picked up the paper and the map, running her finger over the latter until it landed on a house. “Ah, this is the address it says to contact. So… that means the person was taken somewhere between those points.”

Mondo grinned. “Smart thinkin, Chi!” She beamed, before circling that area. They pondered for a moment, before Chihiro spoke up again.

“Umm… I know this might be a little hard to talk about… but could you tell me what happened on the night your friend disappeared? I’m sorry if it’s too much, but it might have a clue.”

Sayaka looked down before nodding. “I’m not positive it’ll do much, but I’ll try my best to help!” Chihiro hummed affirmatively. “Well… as I said before, it was kind of simple. We all traveled to this town to perform for the people in the theater. The show went really well, and all of us stayed after to socialize and stuff. I… can’t remember anything weird happening at that time.”

Kiyotaka nodded. “Go on…” 

“Um… well, a few hours later, I was feeling kind of tired, so I asked my friends if they wanted to go back with me. Everyone, except for one of us, did.”

“And that girl was the one who…?”

“Yes.” Sayaka tapped her chin. “The next day, I asked around. I didn’t tell any of my friends what had actually happened, since I didn’t want to scare them. Nobody who was there that night saw her leave, so I had to work will little to no leads.”

“So you’re sayin’ it’s a matter of trying to figure out how they got her out?” Mondo asked. The bard nodded. 

“Could she have left through a back entrance?” Kiyotaka offered.

“There’s aren’t any,” Sayaka said. “I asked the man who built it.”

“Or… maybe magic was used to get her out without anyone seeing!” Chihiro put forward, before lowering her head. “Oh… but that doesn’t make sense, since spells like that are either really obvious or incredibly taxing on the user. You can’t use them on a nightly basis…”

“What if someone shoved her in a big ass box?” Mondo suggested. “Could they get her out that way?”

“That sounds implausible. I highly doubt that someone could transport a box that size without anyone noticing,” Kiyotaka replied.

In the middle of all the brainstorming, Leon idly flipped through the papers. He’d marked down a few locations before speaking quietly, almost as it to himself. “Maybe we’re thinking about this wrong.” 

“Whaddaya mean, all wrong?”

Leon looked up. “Uh… well, I mean, we're asking how the person got the girl out of the theater without anyone seeing.” He cast his eyes back down to the map. “But… what if they didn’t?”

“So you’re saying that someone caught them?”

“Nah, I’m just wondering if she ever left in the first place.” 

Sayaka’s eyes widened. “She might have been there the whole time?!” 

“Aha!” Leon zeroed in on a single building, circling it boldly. “Yeah! Look, it’s in the middle of all the paths. And that solves the mystery of what happened to your friend, right? We found our place!”

“Leon, you’re brilliant!” Sayaka wrapped her arms around him, giving a tight squeeze.

“And it is only a few blocks away!” Kiyotaka jumped to his feet. “We have no time to lose!”

—————

The village took entertainment seriously. Rows of chairs were neatly arranged, leading to a large stage. A balcony for the wealthy townspeople sat above, beautiful banners streaming from the ledge. On a normal night, any onlooker would have been impressed with the decor of the building. 

They slammed the door open, weapons in hand and ready for battle. In the middle of all the chairs and banners stood an old bearded man in wizard attire dragging a young man down the aisle.

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Kiyotaka yelled, the sound resonating through the hall. The figure dropped the man and sprinted towards the stage. 

“Hey!” Kiyotaka gave chase, Leon and Sayaka not far behind. Mondo and Chihiro ran to the collapsed man.

The man looked around, groggy.“W-where am I? Why do I feel so... weak...?” 

Chihiro said a small prayer, which returned some color to the man’s skin. “Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”

“Can you stand?” Mondo asked. The man sat up, shakily nodding. “Then you gotta get the fuck outta here. We can’t have you getting hurt, got it?” He nodded again, stumbling out of the building.

The other three had almost reached the stage when the wizard retaliated, a strong wind coursing through the theater. They flew back, barely retaining their footing. He cackled, fingers crackling wildly with blinding white sparks. Mondo dove into one of the rows as a lightning bolt rocked the structure.

Chihiro slid in next to him. Mondo threw her a panicked look. “Oy, I dunno shit about magic, but I don’t think it’s ‘sposed to look that unstable.”

“It looks like he’s guarding the backstage part. He’s pushing everyone back,” Chihiro noted. The wizard sent a flurry of ice towards the paladin. Kiyotaka lifted his shield, but was pushed back. Chihiro flinched. “Be careful. It looks like he’s barely in control himself.” 

The barbarian charged forward with a roar. The wizard sneered, eyes wide with insanity. With a flourish, he sent a cloud of fireballs coursing through the air. Mondo rolled out of the way, then jumped back to avoid one headed for his feet. He took cover in the rows of chairs again, wheezing. 

A scorching heat near his wrist alerted him to the fact that he hadn’t fully dodged the blast. A small patch of fire had started to grow on his sleeve.  _ Shit! _ Luckily for him, Chihiro murmured a spell, sending a stream of water to the hot spot. Mondo met her back behind the chairs. “Shit, that did not go well.”

“No one else has had any luck either,” Chihiro said, biting her lip. “It’s like he’s untouchable.”

“MOVE MOVE MOVE!” Leon yelled as the wooden floors began to splinter. Chihiro and Mondo went opposite ways as a stone spike rose from the floor.

The fighter grabbed Mondo and pulled him behind a support column. He glanced at the barbarian’s sleeve. “Alright, you’re not on fire anymore. I need your help. Can you climb?”

“What? Why’re ya askin’ that?”

“Dude, I saw you scaling that building when we chased Sayaka. That was wild!”

“Yeah, yeah, get to the fucking point, man.”

Leon pulled him forward, gesturing with his head to the banners on the balcony. Mondo swore that there was a gleam of excitement in his eyes. “I think we might need to do it again.”

—————

Leon really hoped that this plan wouldn’t end up getting him killed. Then again, if there was one thing he knew, it was getting people’s attention. Mondo nodded at him behind the column, ready to go. 

Leon took a deep breath and cupped his mouth. “Hey! Crazy wizard guy! Over here!” For a moment, the blasting stopped. Kiyotaka looked at him, complete dismay written all over his face. Leon winked back.

“So uh, I was just wondering why the hell you’re doing this,” Leon continued. “Y’know, being a powerful wizard such as yourself.”

Now he had his attention. The wizard cackled again, a creaky, unpleasant sound. “You must mean those poor people I’ve taken?”  _ Damn, his voice doesn’t sound any better when he’s talking. Yikes.  _ “You ask for the reason why? I only want to feel this magic in my veins, this destructive power COURSING THROUGH ME!”

“What, seriously? We’ve been searching all over for the answer and it’s just that?” Leon groaned as dramatically as he could, throwing a quick glance to the banners. One of them wiggled, and he could see Mondo’s hands gripping the sides.  _ Good, he’s doing his job. And better yet, I think I hit a nerve.  _ “You’d think by this point people’d stop doing the same old power-hungry schtick. It’s lame, and it’s not even scary anymore. Get some original ideas, man.”

“Why, you little—“ The wizard clenched his fist. “You won’t be able to talk like that when I TEAR YOU TO SMITHEREENS!” A swarm of razor sharp icicles collected around him. Leon dropped to the ground, hearing the  _ shing  _ of them going over his head and into the wall.

“Wow, you couldn’t even hit me with any of those?” He made sure to keep himself behind cover, but kept his voice just cocky enough to be infuriating. “If you’re gonna go mad with power, at least  _ try _ to actually be powerful.”

Suddenly, a cheerful voice joined in. “With his grating voice, I think we’re dealing with a classic crazy old geezer. You know, past his prime, trying to act like he’s still a threat?” Leon peered around the seats. Sayaka smiled at him, casting her eyes up to see Mondo jumping to the last banner. She continued, voice unshaken. “It’s sad, really. I almost feel pity for the guy.”

The wizard seethed, attempting to stutter out a retort. Leon rose to his feet. Even from across the room, he could see the man’s face was flushed a bright red. Leon grabbed his weapons, sprinting straight to the stage. The wizards eyes went wide, obviously excited to finally strike back at him.

Leon only smirked, tilting his head up to watch the banner swing forward, Mondo leaping from the end of it. The wizard followed his eyes, turning his head just in time for Mondo’s fist to collide with his face. The momentum sent them sliding across the stage. 

“GO NOW!” Mondo yelled. Leon didn’t need to be told twice. He turned back, seeing the wizard retaliate with a blast of wind to push Mondo away.

“You guys go ahead! We’ll handle him!” Kiyotaka and Chihiro ran up to the stage. Sayaka wasn’t far behind, pulling Leon backstage. 

—————

Sayaka hurriedly lit a lantern as they ran, each footstep creaking against the floorboards. Still audible through the walls were the shouts and explosive sounds of combat. As they ran behind the stage, it quickly became evident that there wasn't anyone right there in front of them.  _ Looks like we’re gonna have to do some digging around. _

Leon looked up when he heard the sound of the building creaking. He clenched his weapons. Sayaka placed a reassuring hand on Leon’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Leon clenched his jaw. “Y-yeah. They’re good fighters, they’ll be alright. We should probably hurry, though.”

The two of them weaved their way through each of the rooms backstage, stopping to look through rooms full of props and costumes. They searched in silence. 

That is, until Sayaka spoke up, voice. “Leon, I need to apologize.”

“Huh?” He peered around a door, checking for any side passages. “What for?” 

“I can’t stop thinking about what you said. How I was hiding so much from you.”

He kept walking “Hey, look, it’s fine. I get it. You had to protect yourself.”

“No, it isn’t fine!” Her voice hitched, taking on an almost pleading tone. “You shouldn’t brush this off! I used our dates as a way to search the town. I hid all of my reasons for being here. Don’t you care that I was lying to you this whole time? About who I was, what I wanted?”

Leon slowed to a stop, turning to her. “What about us dancing?

“W-what?”

“When I danced, you jumped in right along with me. There was this glowing smile on your face. You looked stunning.” Leon swallowed deeply, staring her dead in the eye. “You said you were lying the whole time. Was that part of the act?”

Sayaka met his gaze, a certain vulnerability in her eyes. “No. That… that was true.” 

His face relaxed, a grin spreading across his face. “Then there’s no reason to feel hurt.” Leon said. “You’re still the same girl I met in the tavern, right? Whether I’m dancing or insulting some crazy dude’s ego with you, it doesn’t make a difference.” He felt a heat rising in his face. “Heck, if anything, this just makes you way cooler than you already were!”

“Leon… that means a lot. Thank you.” Sayaka brought a hand to her face. A faint blush rose to her cheeks.

A huge tremor rocked the building, shaking them out of the moment. “Oh shoot, we need to keep looking.”

Sayaka placed a hand on his shoulder. “Wait! Listen for a moment!” He did as she asked, and sure enough, he heard them too: small chorus of pained groans. He halted his movement, listening very closely. If he focused enough, he could hear...

“Under the floor! Quick, check for any trap doors!” They scrambled to the ground, feeling for any possible entrances. Sayaka’s hand bumped a metal handle, and she yanked it up. A square trapdoor swung up, with a ladder leading down. She immediately jumped in, Leon not far behind.

A cold dampness permeated the tight space. It was packed full of people, all young-looking, slumped on the ground. They all had an empty, cold look in their eyes that sent chills down Leon’s spine.

Sayaka ran to one of the girl’s sides, looking at her, then shaking her shoulders. “Come on! Wake up! Please!” Nothing. The girl sat limply.

“Sayaka, what if she’s—“

“No! She can’t! I won’t let that happen!” Sayaka was panicking. Kiyotaka was about to speak, but then Sayaka went back to begging the girl to show some, any sign of life. He was about to yank the woman away, until he heard the distant sound of Kiyotaka yelping. The building shook slightly. And then, all at once, the people began to move. They groaned, clutching their bodies, eyes widening before resetting to their previous empty states. 

Leon jumped back, shocked. “Woah! What the hell is happening to them?!” Sayaka took in a shaky breath, eyes narrowing in focus.

“Wait… the wizard said he wanted to do this to feel powerful... and they only reacted after big attacks…” Her eyes widened, and she pulled on Leon’s shirt. “He’s syphoning them, Leon!”

“Hold on… what the heck does that mean?”

“If a magic user is really, really powerful, they can suck up a person’s own life force to be even more powerful. It’s a horrible thing to do, but… the wizard we’re fighting is crazy enough to do it.”

“What’re we gonna do? Can we un-syphon them? Or something?”

“There’s one think I can do. I might be able to break the chain.” She took a step back, bringing a hand to her chest.

Suddenly, the building shook again, which sent the people back into fits of pain. Sayaka jumped back, clinging onto Leon’s jacket. 

“What’s wrong?”

She trembled “I-I can’t do this. Seeing her like this… it just hurts too much!”

“Hey, hey…” Leon squeezed her. “Breathe. You can do this. I believe you can.”

Her breathing slowed, and she pulled away. “O-okay. You believe in me. I can do this.”

She brought her hand to her chest once more, breathing in and out, in and out. Her mouth opened, and from it, a beautiful voice resonated around the room.

“ _ Chained prisoners, under cruelest fist _ ;  _ the blinded, voiceless, deafened, within their endings’ midst; _ ” The graceful melody found Leon ears, and he felt his very being riveted by the sound. He always knew that she could sing, but hearing it now cemented it in stone.

Her eyes closed as she fully embraced the song. “ _ Fate has seen you, guides you through the night; she smiles upon the trapped, and on their toilsome flight;” _ Leon did a double take when he realized that yes, Sayaka  _ was  _ glowing. A bright blue enveloped the area, and Leon felt a deep sense of calm flowing through him.

“ _ Step onward and as she guards you; step onward, for you’re free,”  _ her eyes fluttered open, and the glowing began to fade. “ _ Step onward, for you're free.” _

The song over, the room reverted to its darkened state, save for the little orange lantern. Yet… something had changed. The people sitting on the floor sat up, looking around them. The girl Sayaka had gone to stared up at her.

“S-Sayaka? Where am… w-what are you doing here?” In a heartbeat, the bard wrapped her up in a hug. Tears streamed out of her eyes, apologies spilling from her mouth. Leon smiled despite himself.

Though, they weren’t done yet; they still had a villain to take down. “Stay here and help these guys, okay?” 

She sniffled, sending him a watery smile. “I will. Thank you for everything, Leon.” He gave her a grin, before dashing back to the stage.

—————

Mondo wasn’t doing so hot. He and the others had just barely managed to stay alive for the last few minutes. He wasn’t sure he could last much longer. The wizard raised his arms, starting to summon a gigantic fireball, far beyond the size of anything he had used before. 

Mondo dove behind a column, preparing for a surge of heat. It didn’t come. He opened his eyes, and saw the wizard gawking at his empty hand. With no time to waste, Mondo sped to the wizard, swinging his axe at his legs. This time, the guy went down without a fight. He pushed himself as far back as he could go, attempting to crawl away. They surrounded him.

“Wait… what happened?” Chihiro asked. “That was… surprisingly easy at the end.” 

Leon jogged up. “We found all the victims and stopped him from taking all their life energy and stuff.” Leon smiled, crossing his arms. “Looks like you guys got it all under control here. I guess we’ve won!”

“B-but you fools haven’t… you haven’t f-finished me off yet!” The wizard gave a lopsided sneer, then lunged towards Chihiro, yanking her leg. She tumbled backwards, yelping.

“Don’t t-think I didn’t see you there… so much magic in so w-weak a body… if I could just absorb that power, I’ll be—“  _ CLANG! _ Mondo bashed him over the head with the wide side of his axe. 

“Don’t ya FUCKIN’ DARE, YOU SONNOVABITCH!” The wizard crumpled, unconscious. Chihiro kicked the wizard’s hand off, her face completely white. Only the sound of the wind in the rafters remained.

—————

The group exited the theater at sunrise to a surprisingly large reception. It turns out that the young man they’d asked to escape had been busy; he’d told as many people as he could what was happening, and since then they’d all been waiting. Almost instantaneously, the crowd of concerned parents, siblings, friends, and lovers rushed into the theater to reunite with their loved ones. A few stragglers stuck around to hear the story of what had happened, so Kiyotaka went over to entertain them with a thorough account of the events (barring, of course, the personal details).

Mondo, on the other hand, snuck away to a more private part of the theater; the balcony. It’d been a hell of a night. What he didn’t expect to see was that someone had already beat him to it. Chihiro’s head rested on the ledge overlooking the rest of the theater. 

“Wanted some peace and quiet, huh?” 

The elf jerked her head back in surprise. Mondo put his hands up. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m here for the same thing.” He gestured to the seat next to her. “Mind if I…?”

“N-no, go ahead.” 

He frowned, propping his head up on his arm. “Are you doin’ okay? I mean, after that guy went right for you? Fuck, that scared the life outta me. I’m sure it’s prolly worse for you.”

The elf lifted her head from the ledge and nodded without a word. Mondo sighed, putting his hands on his hips.

“Look, Chi. If yer ever in a shitty situation, whatever that may be, you can come to me if ya need help. That’s a man’s promise.” Chihrio nodded again, looking back over the room. “And, uh, I don’t just mean in a protecting sorta way.” 

Chihiro looked at him, surprised. Her eyes began to glisten, reflecting the dim light of the theater. “W-what do you mean?”

“Uhh…” he mentally smacked himself for not knowing how to react when people start tearing up. “I know you’re really hard on yourself a lot. And I want you t’know that we couldn’t’ve done any of this without you.” He patted her on the back, standing up. “That’s all I had to say. I’m gonna, um, head back down. Come down when you’re ready.” He went down the stairs, leaving her with that.

—————

They all spent the day asleep in their rooms. No one (except Leon) had gotten enough rest in the last few nights, so they had to make up for the sleep they’d missed.

That night, the four friends sat down in the tavern, just like they had at the start of their visit. It felt like ages had passed since they’d first arrived. Or at least, that’s how Leon felt as he sipped his beer. He glanced over, and saw Sayaka walking towards their table with a smile. He straightened up a little. 

“Hi, guys!” She waved.

“Hello, Miss Maizono!” Kiyotaka said. “We haven’t gotten the chance to speak since all the occurrences last night! Have you rested well?”

“Definitely,” She chuckled. “It was nice to finally relax now that my friend was safe and sound. I just wanted to tell you guys... I couldn’t have done it without you. You kind of saved my life, as well as the lives of all those people. So, thanks… I mean that with all my heart.”

“We’re glad we could have helped,” Chihiro said, smiling. “You know, if you want, you could sit with us?”

Sayaka shook her head. “I would love to, but… I also came here to tell you that this is my last night here. I wanted to say goodbye before I left.” Leon felt his face fall.  _ Dammit man, you gotta be cooler than this. It was bound to happen eventually. _

Her eyes landed on Leon. “I’m really glad I could have met you. Farewell.” She waved, then turned on her heel and left the building. 

Leon watched her go, staring at the door for the lingering moments after she left. He pushed his chair back. “Hold on, there’s something I need to do.”

The night air was full of noise and conversation, with the townspeople bustling around the street. It was far busier than any of the nights before, seeing that the menace threatening them after sundown was taken care of. Although Leon would have loved to bask in the newfound life of the town, he had another task on his mind. A glimpse of blue hair caught his gaze, and he ran towards it.

“Sayaka, wait up!”

“Leon...?” She turned to the sound of his voice, face softening in recognition. 

“So, this is it.” He gestured to her vaguely. “You’re leaving tonight.” 

“Yeah. I’ve been here long enough and finished what I wanted, so it’s time to move on to the next thing.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “New town, new places, new people. You know how it is.”

He did. This was just one short memory, something they’d both look back on later with fondness. Maybe not the abduction part, of course, but... he hoped some of what had happened would stick with her. It certainly would stick with him.  _ God, you moron, stop thinking that way.  _

“Uhh, before you go... there’s something I really wanna tell you.” He released a heavy exhale. “I haven’t really been telling you the truth. I’m, uh...”

“Not a bard?” She asked, sympathy in her voice.

He nodded. “Never have been. Heck, I just bought my lute when I got here.” He averted his eyes. “I dunno why I lied about it in the first place. You’re so dang amazing in so many ways, and I’m just... y’know.” 

“Oh, Leon...” Sayaka took a step closer to him, interlocking her fingers with his. “You can’t sell yourself short.” He looked up, meeting her eyes. “Honestly... you’re the best thing I’ve found in this place. I wouldn’t trade our time together for the world.” She smiled. “And for what it’s worth... I think you’d be an amazing musician if you put your heart into it.”

“You think so?”

“From everything I’ve seen, you have some of that bardic magic in your blood. I’m sure of it.”

The world around them faded out of focus. All Leon could see was her, candlelight casting her face in warmth. 

“I’ll think of you.” The words came out low. He felt unsure. Not unsure of the words and their honesty, but unsure of what they meant to him. Or what they’d mean to her.

Sayaka’s eyes softened, and she rose to her toes. She leaned in, and Leon closed his eyes. He took a short breath in, bracing himself for the touch of her lips on his own.

But instead, her lips pressed against his cheek. The soft, lingering touch sent his mind into spirals. His breath hitched, and he felt incomplete in the most wonderful way, like a whispered promise or a questioning chord yearning for the next line. 

Her lips pulled away from his cheek, leaving an afterglow he was sure would remain for days to come. She lowered her lips to his ear, speaking in a soft whisper. “East of here, there’s a city named Hopesridge. I’ll be staying there for a few months.” Getting off of her toes, she gave him a warm smile. “If I see you again there... I might be able to teach you a thing or two about music.”

“I’d like that,” was all he could say. “I’d like that a lot.” The sounds and the people of the wider world came back into focus. Slowly, Leon’s mind began to clear from the rush of emotions he’d just felt. A thought occurred to him. “Wait, hold on. What tipped you off that I wasn’t a bard?”

Sayaka’s face turned deadpan. “It’s because I’m psychic.” Leon’s eyes widened, suddenly wondering how much she’d been reading his thoughts. Then she giggled, a familiar coy smile spreading over her face. “I’m kidding, I just have a really good intuition.”

Behind them, someone called Sayaka’s name. Leon recognized the voice as her friend, waving her over to a loaded wagon. Sayaka looked at him through her lashes. “I guess I’m out of time.”

Leon let her hand go, but not before giving it a small squeeze. “I won’t hold you back. I’ll… see you around, then?”

She beamed. “See you around.” With a last wave, he watched her go. He could still feel his heart hammering away in his chest.

After a long moment to calm himself, he walked back to the inn. He slid back into his seat at the table. It took him a moment to realize his friends were staring at him expectantly. “What?”

“C’mon, you gotta tell us what ya talked about.” Mondo clamped a hand on Leon’s shoulder. 

Chihiro smiled at him. “I can’t believe you followed her out. That was very sweet of you!”

Leon shrugged Mondo’s hand off. “Man, it was nothing. We talked about a few things, it’s no big deal.” Leon grinned, smoothly changing the subject. “Besides, now that it’s just the four of us, I’m finally gonna follow through with what I promised. We’re gonna make the most of our time here! And that starts with me ordering you all drinks! What do you say?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, there’s a lot of things I gotta say here.
> 
> Story Notes:  
> \- The only named characters in this story are the actual game cast + any important people to them that are actually mentioned in the game. Is that because I didn’t want to think about the logical inconsistency of having a European Style Fantasy world while also having Japanese names? ...Maybe.  
> \- Taka and Mondo failed the stealth check lol.  
> \- I‘m not a self-indulgent writer story wise. I actually didn’t much like Sayaka as a character when I started writing this. Heck, I didn’t even ship Leosaya that much. However, she’s an important character to the narrative as a whole.  
> \- Hopesridge is definitely a play on Hope’s Peak.  
> \- Thanks to my sister for writing Sayaka’s song.
> 
> Updates weekly!
> 
> Also, bother me on Discord at Striker_of_Chords#6663


	7. Strength and the Dirt Road Onward Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chihiro makes a decision.

No one quite understood Chihiro Fujisaki. That fact always stood true. Whether it was in the elven forests or in the big cities, Chihiro was always alone. Not for lack of others trying, though. For one, Chihiro’s father was always there, trying to help in any way that he could, but he was always pushed away. Chihiro didn’t want him to worry any more than he already did. 

Now, long after the cleric had left the old forest behind, there were friends to travel with. They had an adventurers’ bond of trust between them. It was unfamiliar to Chihiro, but it felt good to have somewhere to belong. Though, none of them knew much beneath the surface.

After all, they didn’t even know his own gender.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, Chihiro was male. He had always been male, and would always be male. Nonetheless, years before, he had made the decision to hide that fact far, far away from everyone he knew. He chose to put on a dress, to grow out his hair, even to change his mannerisms. Anything to hide the truth.

“This will be worth it,” He’d repeat to himself. “Everyone will see a normal girl, instead of this weak, cowardly boy. They can’t mock me anymore.” Chihiro had used it as a coping mechanism, a way to hide from the piercing gaze of those around him. And for a time, it worked. No one gave him a second thought. People liked this new Chihiro.

_Then... why can’t I just let this go?_

The floorboards creaked softly as his feet . He was too stressed to go back to sleep anyways. A small stream of golden sunlight crept through the window. Chihiro opened it up, folding his arms on the window frame and resting his head atop it. For a while, he watched the sun rise. The sight of it brought some comfort. It was familiar, and constant. Unquestionably strong, back to shine every day, no matter where he was. 

“Weak. Weak. Why are you so weak?” Chihiro muttered to himself. He felt bitter tears prick at his eyes, but couldn’t muster the will to wipe them away. 

He felt the pressure of something new on the window frame, and heard the slide of paper across the wood. Alter Ego patted his elbow. With a sigh, Chihiro picked up the note.

_“What happened?”_

He looked back out the window, avoiding looking Alter Ego in the eyes. “It’s... fine. I was just remembering a few days ago, with the battle and...” he trailed off. His mind jumped back to the memory of the wizard, and what had happened before Mondo had knocked the man out. Chihiro had filled Alter Ego in on everything except for that part. It was too fresh of a wound to bring up.

Unfortunately, Alter Ego was good at reading people. Especially the one who created him. 

_“Please stop doing this to yourself.”_

“Doing what?“ Chihiro asked, feigning innocence despite the fact that both of them knew the answer. They’d had this conversation many times before, whenever Chihiro would start to fall apart. 

_Back here again already,_ a little voice jeered in his mind _. You get overwhelmed so easily. You’re so pathetic._ Tears were starting to form in his eyes. He couldn’t hold them back for long. _God, you’re crying again. You're embarrassing to even look at, you crybaby._

He turned away from the window, shaky hands grasping for the book. Whenever he had these breakdowns, the one thing that seemed to calm him down was burying his nose in those pages. He pushed aside scrolls and old letters until he felt the leather cover. 

He was still getting the page wet. That was okay. The runes and incantations could drone out the mocking voice in his head. That was all he needed.

He glanced up. Alter Ego had crossed his arms and sat down, shutting his eyes as much as possible. Chihiro sighed. That was Alter Ego’s way of trying to focus. 

“Look... I’ll be fine, okay?” Chihiro tried to reassure him. “Everything will go back to normal in a few hours.”

Alter Ego shook his head quickly. Disbelief. Chihiro turned back to the book, frowning. Alter Ego was right, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. The cycle would restart soon enough, the tears and the cruel voice would return, and he’d once again brush it off.

Alter Ego slammed his palm on his forehead in exasperation, then put his hands on his hips and lowered his head, defeated. Chihiro couldn’t help but chuckle. _He looks a little like Mondo when he does that._

A bell went off in his head. “Wait! That’s it!” He exclaimed, shooting up out of his seat. He dashed across the room, hurriedly putting on the rest of his clothes. 

“Mondo! He can make me strong!” He was the strongest person Chihiro knew, at least in the physical sense. Chihiro tied the sash around his waist.

 _But then again..._ he weighed the risks. _What if I tell them my secret, and they hate me for it?_ He shook that thought away, throwing on his cloak. He’d been with them all long enough to know they were nice people. Still, the thought of revealing himself to everyone... that terrified him. He had to be strong enough, brave enough to be himself again. 

And the first step was telling Mondo. 

—————

“Hold on a sec, I’m goin’!” Mondo shouted through the door. It took him a few moments, but eventually, he got the door opened. He looked like he’d just been asleep, which made sense, given that it was still early in the morning. Upon seeing who it was, he relaxed slightly, leaning against the doorframe. “Oh, Chi. Did you need somethin’?”

“Can I talk to you? Somewhere private? It’s important.” Mondo’s smile dropped, concern entering his eyes. He nodded solemnly.

The spot they decided on was a small patch behind the inn. They agreed that going into each other’s rooms might give the others the wrong idea, so this seemed like their best bet for privacy.

Mondo seated himself down on a bench there, patting the spot next to him for Chihiro to sit. He stared down at his feet, working up the courage to speak. What he had to do was clear, but now that he had the chance to say it, doubt was sweeping in. A part of him wanted to run away right that moment, but he stifled that urge. _No! I have to do this!_

Mondo cleared his throat, breaking him out of his trance. “So...?“

“Oh! Sorry... I was... I’m sorry, I-I’m a little nervous.”

“It’s all good. Jus’ take as long as you need.”

He nodded, looking back down. _Well... there’s no point in waiting any longer._ He inhaled deeply, before letting the words come out. 

“A few days ago... you promised me something. Do you remember what it was?”

“Well, yeah! I said if you ever needed help, y’could come to me.” Chihiro felt a wave of relief. Foolish as it was, he was half expecting Mondo to forget. 

“And... is that still true?”

“Chi,” Mondo said firmly, looking him in the eye. “I promised you, didn’t I? There ain’t nothin’ that can break a man’s promise. If there’s one thing my brother left me, it’s that.” Chihiro nodded, feeling reassured. “So, what’s the problem?”

Chihiro pursed his lips. Moment of truth.

“There’s... something I haven’t been telling everyone. Something important about me. Something you all deserve to know, but I’m... too weak to tell everyone.” Chihiro’s stomach was in knots, but he kept going. “I want to get stronger, so I can. That’s why I went to you, because you’re strong, and—“

“Wait, before you tell me,” Mondo interrupted. “I-I... are you sure you want me to do this?”

Chihiro’s stomach dropped, voice becoming frail. “Do you... not trust me...?” 

“No! That’s not— I do trust you!” Mondo grabbed him by the shoulders, looking him in the face. The surprise of it knocked the tears right out of Chihiro’s eyes.

“Shit, I made you cry.” Mondo scooted away frantically, covering his face. “Dammit, why do I always—! Agh, see, this is why you’re best off choosin’ someone else.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“No, it’s okay! Don’t blame yourself for this,” Chihiro sniffed. “And… umm, I still think you’re the best person I could talk to about this.”

Mondo looked at Chihiro, who stared back. “Are you completely, _totally_ sure you don’t wanna go to someone else?”

A fair question. Kiyotaka would also have been a good candidate, sure, but he had enough on his plate as it stood. He probably would have run himself into the ground with the additional responsibility. Plus, Chihiro didn’t know how he or Leon would react. However, he had Mondo’s word. Chihiro nodded, confirming his choice.

Mondo exhaled. “Alright. I’ll do everything I can to help you, no matter what.”

“How can you be sure of that? You don’t even know the secret yet.” 

“Nah, I trust you. ‘S long as it’s not burning an orphanage or somethin’, which I know you wouldn’t do, you’re okay. So!” He scooted back towards Chihiro, gesturing to him.

He filled his lungs with air, but the statement still came out quiet. “I’m... a boy.”

Mondo’s eyes widened briefly, before he leant forward and nodded, inviting Chihiro to continue.

“I’m not a girl. I’ve never been a girl. It’s just that... where I’m from... there’s a lot of pressure. To be the strongest, to be the best of your family. But I’ve never been strong. So... the other boys found me to be the best target. Calling me names, sometimes even using physical means...”

“Oh, Chi...” 

“And they’d always tell me to be a man, and fight back. But... I was never strong enough. So I cried and hid from my problems, and to this day, that’s all I can do. When I finally got old enough to leave the forest, the first thing I did was grow out my hair and buy a dress. That way, they wouldn’t tell me to man up anymore. And it worked, but... I don’t want to lie anymore.”

Mondo crossed his arms thoughtfully. “I see. Y’know, you’re already really strong to be able to tell me all this. I dunno what you need me for.”

Chihiro shook his head adamantly. “No, but I’m not strong! I have to train, to get stronger, so I can fight back.”

“Ahhh,” Mondo said, looking Chihiro over. “So I gotta train you?” He smiled to himself. “Now, that’s something I can do.” Chihiro let out a relieved exhale, glad to see that Mondo was up to the challenge. 

Mondo’s brow furrowed. “Well, first thing’s first, we gotta train often. If you wanna beef up, then you hav’ta work at it. And you don’t wanna be seen, which means training at night. That okay?”

“Whatever it takes, I’ll do my best!” Chihiro found his resolve to be stronger than ever, looking forward with a newfound confidence.

“Sure, It’ll be hard, and there’ll be days where you wanna just lie down and give up. Still, I don’t doubt you can do it.”

“Thank you...” 

“No problem. I’m just glad I could help.” 

They sat in a peaceful silence, the soft rays of morning light washing over them. The world was beginning to stir, the sound of footsteps on cobblestone fading in and out of focus. Eventually, one familiar set of heavy feet came nearer, slowing upon entering the garden.

“Oh! There the two of you are!” Kiyotaka jogged over to where they sat. “I didn’t expect you to be awake at this hour, so I spent a fair amount of time knocking on your room doors. If the innkeeper hadn’t told me where you’d gone, I might have spent the whole day knocking!” He took a long look around the garden. “Er... am I... interrupting something?”

“Not at all. Actually, we’re pretty much finished here.”

Mondo stood up. “Well? Didja need somethin’?”

Kiyotaka’s eyebrows rose. He glanced between the two of them. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it after a moment. “Actually, yes. There’s something I’d like to discuss as a group... that is, if it won’t be too much trouble.”

“Sure, we don’t mind!” Chihiro pushed himself off the bench, Mondo not far behind. 

Kiyotaka sighed in relief. “I have to admit, getting the two of you to come was a lot easier than with Leon.” He pursed his lips. “It’s impossible to wake that man up when he doesn’t want to be woken.” 

Chihiro chuckled to himself, imagining how that must have gone down. Kiyotaka shook his head slowly, but couldn’t hide the affectionate smile spreading across his face. “Still, at least I’m glad I could help him get awake. It’s important to make the most of our days while we can, after all!”

The tavern was close to empty, with only the innkeeper setting up shop for the day. A large map was sprawled across one of the tables. Leon had seated himself next to it, legs resting on the table and head leant back over the chair. He was snoring quietly. Taka’s eye twitched.

“Oy, Leon!” Mondo aggressively nudged the sleeping man. He jolted awake, almost tumbling out of the chair.

“Hey, what th— oh, it’s you guys!” Leon rubbed his eyes. “Didn’t know how long Taka’d take, so I thought I’d sleep a bit more.”

The paladin crossed his arms, looking at Leon like a disappointed parent. He sighed. “Well, we’re all here now. That’s what’s most important.” 

They all took their seats around the table, save for Kiyotaka, who stood at the head. “Alright! Group meeting!” He slammed a hand on the map. “We’ve been in this town for almost a week now, and although it’s quite pleasant, it might be a good idea to get on the road again. I, for one, am beginning to get restless.” He glanced around the table. “Still, I haven’t been traveling with the three of you long enough to know your habits. Does this arrangement work for you all?”

Everyone gave a signal of agreement. Chihiro wasn’t a huge fan of village life, plus he’d been feeling a little restless to get back out into nature. 

“Good. Still, there’s the question of where we should go...” 

Chihiro raised his hand meekly. “If I may...?” 

All eyes turned to him. Kiyotaka gave an acknowledging nod. “Go ahead.”

Chihiro cleared his throat. “Um... a few nights ago, I was looking over the notes I found in the dungeon. They detail some kind of curse, and I’d like to look into it... i-if that’s okay, I mean. We don’t need to if it’s too much trouble.”

Kiyotaka grinned. “Actually, I was thinking along similar lines.” He reached underneath his armor and pulled a pendant out from around his neck. Chihiro recognized it as the one that had lit up in the dungeon. “This has been confusing me for awhile. I know it has magical properties of some kind, but it’s been completely dormant since it first lit up.” He twirled it in his fingers. “Plus, I don’t recognize its symbol from any deities or countries.” 

“Cool, so we’ve got our destination, but where does that get us?” Leon stroked his goatee. “I mean, we still don’t know where we’re actually going.”

Kiyotaka hummed, looking down at the map. “That’s true, but we can narrow it down to larger cities. Does anyone have any preference?” Silence. He drummed his fingers on the table. “Well... the place with the most information is the Novoselic Peninsula. It seems pretty nice.”

Mondo clicked his tongue. “Nah, I’d rather not... not sure that’s a good place for me to be. Don’t like the snooty scholar type.”

“Hey, that’s a respectable profession! It’s admirable to want to learn about the world!” Taka retorted. Mondo shrugged.

“I dunno about you guys, but I’d go just for the hot girls there,” Leon piped in.

“I don’t think romantic whims are a proper reason to travel to a city.” The paladin traced a path over the map, then frowned. “Still, adding onto your concerns, going there might take a long time. Around a month, actually.” 

Mondo craned his neck to see the map from Taka’s perspective. “What’s the closest big city to us, anyways? Ain’t that our best bet?”

“Hmm... that would be a city in the Togami domain called—“

“No, we can’t go there!” Chihiro cried out. It came out... louder than he wanted it to. Once again, all eyes at the table turned to him.

“I-I’ve visited there before. It’s a very... unkind place. I don’t want to go unless we really have to.” He hoped the others were satisfied with his vague answer. 

Chihiro had, in fact, traveled across the Togami empire after leaving his village. During that time, he found the people to be cold and rigid, tied to tradition. It was there that he learned how to close himself off and fade into the crowd. Then again, a part of him feared the off chance that he might run across an “old friend” from his village. That possibility, however small it may have been, filled him with terror.

“Well, if you’ve been there, I suppose you’d know best.” Kiyotaka leant over the table, causing the others to crowd around him. “What else is there? If we went north, then we’d end up in Towa Valley, if you’d want that. We’ve already crossed off the Novoselics to the west. To the east is a small mountain range, and Hopesridge is right past there, but—“

“Wait, did you say Hopesridge?” Leon slammed a hand on the table. “We gotta go there!”

Mondo squinted at Leon. “Fuck, why’d you not say that before? That woulda made shit a lot easier.”

Leon blinked. “Oh, it’s cuz... uhh...” he quickly shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “No reason, I guess! I just kinda wanted to visit.”

Kiyotaka clicked his tongue, tracing the path from the village to the city. “We might have to take a few shortcuts, but it’s definitely doable.” Seeing as no one in the group had objected, a smile spread across the paladin’s face. “Wonderful! We have our destination!” He addressed the group. “There’s nothing else we have to discuss, so I suppose this meeting is adjourned. It would be wise for you all to gather your belongings and get some rest. We’ll be rising early tomorrow, after all!” Leon and Mondo headed off to their rooms, likely to pack or catch up on sleep. Taka remained, rolling up his map.

“What about you?” Chihiro asked. “Will you be doing the same?” 

Kiyotaka looked taken aback by the question. He smiled. “I appreciate your concern, Chihiro. However, I’ll be asking around for traveling advice in the area. Someone has to plot our route, after all!” 

“Well...” Chihiro fiddled with his cloak. “You should also rest a little, okay? Try not to spread yourself too thin.”

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Taka said, slipping the map under his arm. “I’ll take care of everything. For today, just focus on preparing yourself for the road.” He smiled over his shoulder before exiting the inn.

There was definitely more that Chihiro wanted to say, but couldn’t find the nerve to follow him out. He wanted to tell his friend to relax a little and worry only about himself for a change. It was obvious how much responsibility the man placed on his own shoulders. Still, Chihiro found himself staring at the door, unmoving. He sighed. Maybe Taka was right, and he should have simply minded his own business. _Still, if I could become stronger, maybe I’ll be able to help him._ That thought, usually bringing a load of self hatred, brought something almost hopeful instead.

The first thing Chihiro did upon entering his room was fall back onto the bed. He looked to the ceiling, then to the window. It felt like ages since he’d stared through it last, and that was just that morning. In a way, nothing and everything had changed within that time. However, there was one thing he was sure of, for the first time in years.

_Things are looking up._

—————

They rose early the next day, as Kiyotaka had encouraged. Traveling went without a hitch, but Chihiro found it nice to get back into the forest air. He was a wood elf, after all. 

The only event that could be considered noteworthy at all was Kiyotaka and Mondo attempting to duel each other. They wanted to make up for their unfinished duel in the dungeon (which Chihiro was surprised they were still thinking about). It was fortunate that Leon offered they postpone the battle until they got to Hopesridge. They begrudgingly agreed to cooperate until that point. 

All through dinner, all Chihiro could think about was what would happen that night. He was at the start of a long, important journey, and he couldn’t wait to begin.

Later that night, Chihiro listened carefully for the slow in Kiyotaka and Leon’s breath before stirring, moving silently into the wood. While he was gathering food, Mondo had left a small trail that led to the patch of grass where they’d meet. Chihiro was able to find it without a problem. 

The night winds rushed past him, and he pulled his cloak closer to his body. He wasn’t usually out and about at this hour. The cold was unfamiliar. 

Something rustled in the bushes. Chihiro spun around, gripping his greatstaff tightly. When Mondo appeared through the brush with his hands in the air, he sighed in relief.

“I’m sorry for acting like I was going to attack you…”

“Nah, it’s all good. Means you’ve got a good sense of survival. You gotta keep an eye out for the shit ‘round here.”

Chihiro nodded, planting his staff in the ground and straightening his posture. “So! When can we begin?”

“Damn, someone’s excited.” Mondo walked towards the center of the grassy patch. “That’s good, but I gotta warn you, things only get harder. Not gonna sugarcoat it; I’m going to be pushing you kinda hard and you’re gonna feel like complete shit for the next few days. Everything’s gonna ache like hell and you’ll be miserable.” He stopped walking, and turned to Chihiro, face grave. “With that said, d’ya still wanna go through this?”

Chihiro nodded without hesitation. “I need to do this, no matter what it takes.”

“Figured you’d say that. Just thought I’d make sure.” 

It didn’t take Chihiro long to realize that Mondo wasn’t joking when he said that the training was going to be intense. Mondo would demonstrate an exercise with perfect ease, but when Chihiro tried to follow along, he’d fall apart. He was sure that he would have gotten down on himself about it if he was alone. However, he wasn’t, and having a friend made a world of difference. Every time he’d fall, Mondo would help him stand up again.

“You don’t have to get it first try. It takes a lotta work, but I know you’ll get there.” Then, Mondo would show a variation of the exercise which Chihiro found that he _could_ do. After an intensive few hours, he could feel the sweat drenching his clothes and the ache in his bones. He flopped back onto the grass, spreading his arms out. A considerably less worn-down Mondo sat beside him. He dropped a water skin into Chihiro’s open hand, and he drank from it greedily.

“Thanks,” he managed to wheeze out.

“No problem. Drink as much as you need, yeah?”

He did, then stared at the moon. “I wish I could have some better way of thanking you…”

“What d’ya mean?”

“I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Because… I’m not strong like you. I can’t face my problems head-on like you. I’m more used to staying in my shell, where things are safe and make sense.”

“I-I… you’re not giving yourself any credit. I mean…” he sighed, fumbling with the words for a few seconds. “What I’m tryin’ to say here is that you’re already brave and strong in your own right. I mean, you were brave enough to go to me with this.” Something slightly somber passed over him. “I’m no good at words, but… I dunno. I think you’re already stronger than a lotta people. I’m kinda jealous.”

Chihiro listened closely, but didn’t speak. Mondo chuckled. “That’s my take, though. Believe it if you want.” He stood up, extending a hand. Chihiro grabbed it, getting pulled to his feet. “We’re done for the night. Get some sleep. You’ve earned it.”

Chihiro smiled, picking up his staff. “Thanks again, for everything.”

“No problem. ‘M just glad I could help.”

—————

The next day, Chihiro awoke to two things: Kiyotaka’s yelling at them to get up, and the deep, aching pain that came with every minuscule movement he made. His limbs were made of jelly. Everything hurt. Everything.

He didn’t have long to reflect on his pain before Kiyotaka threw aside the tent flap, marching into his tent. “The sun is up! It is time to face the day!” He shouted. 

“Don’t worry, I’m going…” Chihiro mumbled, wiggling out of his cot. 

Seemingly satisfied, Kiyotaka marched out and over to Leon’s tent. Not a moment later, Mondo peeked his head in. 

“So, how’re you feeling?” He asked. The cleric groaned loudly in response. Mondo laughed. “Can’t say I didn’t warn you. C’mon, paladin’s gonna get on our asses if we don’t leave soon.” After Mondo left, Chihiro lifted himself to his feet, throwing on his dress. After getting over the initial desire to collapse to the ground and sleep for a year, he stepped into the sun, taking in the air of a new day.

—————

The days began to come and go such as that one did. Each night, he’d train with Mondo, pushing himself to the best of his abilities. It was a whole lot of struggling and persevering, and some nights Mondo would instruct him to take it easy so he wouldn’t injure himself. Still, Chihiro felt as if he was improving. That alone was worth the pain.

Nonetheless, there was the dilemma of having to walk for an entire day after intense training the night before. It hurt a lot, but it was alleviated by the pleasant company he traveled with. The more they walked, the more they talked about life and the world around them.

Chihiro quickly discovered how different each of those worlds were. Nobody told his whole story, but instead small observations and fragments of memories that formed a beautiful snippet of the bigger picture. Chihiro learned how Leon had come from a youth on the docks, and could have been a simple sailor if he hadn’t decided to pursue fame and fortune on land. He learned how Kiyotaka came from a once-affluent family but had decided that he needed to help the world in his own way. He learned how Mondo had the chance to lead his tribe but turned it down in favor of traveling southward.

The conclusion Chihiro came to was that even though they had each left their homes motivated by different things, they all did it in the pursuit of becoming better.

In short, Chihiro couldn’t have chosen a better group to travel with.

One day, about a week after beginning this rhythm, Kiyotaka approached him. It was early in the day, so the effects of the previous nights’ workout were still upon the elf.

“Erm, Chihiro… it might be presumptuous of me to ask this, but… are you alright?”

Chihiro looked up. “Hm? Why do you ask?”

“Well… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but you’ve been acting differently over the last few days. You appear to be a little more worn-out than usual.”

Chihiro’s eyes widened. He hadn’t realized that he’d been so transparent. Yet, it was important that he act casual about it. So, he smiled widely. “That’s very attentive of you to notice.”

The paladin’s face hardened. “Is there any reason for this change? Or at least, is there anything I can do to help?”

Chihiro’s smile faltered. He knew that Kiyotaka had his best interests in mind. He also knew that his companion was a good person. This would be the time to let him in and tell him the truth. It would all be so simple… and yet, he couldn’t work up the nerve to speak. 

He knew that he wasn’t brave enough. Not yet. The road was long, and he was well upon it, but his destination was still a ways away. 

So, he gently shook his head. “You don’t need to worry about me. If I need anything, I’ll ask.” Chihiro stood up a little straighter. “For now, we should just focus about getting to Hopesridge, okay?”

Taka’s brow furrowed. A dozen emotions passed over his face, mouth hesitatingly opening and closing as he pieced together a response. “But—”

“Hey! Somethin’ you guys gotta see!” Both of them looked over. Mondo was shouting from slightly down the path. 

The paladin sighed, loosening some of the tension from his body. Chihiro patted him on the back. “Don’t stress yourself out, ‘kay? We’ve got bigger things to worry about.” Kiyotaka nodded curtly, but couldn’t quite mask the questions still in his eyes.

The path they walked was relatively safe to walk upon, well padded by the shoes of travelers and the wheels of merchant wagons. It was not without a share of twists and turns, where a few wrong steps could send you into a slew of trouble if you were in the wrong place. At the side of the path, a steep hill stretched downward, leading to the subject in question: a toppled merchant wagon, chunks of wood scattered around it. Mondo slid down, beckoning them to the spot.

Chihiro would have asked where their fourth party member was if it weren’t for his red tuft of hair popping out of the wagon. “Nope, empty. No corpses or anything.” 

Taka made his way over, carefully watching each step he took. “Has it long been abandoned? We might be able to find some clues within.”

“Huh, lemme check,” Leon said, muffled by the wood. The wagon shook slightly as he rummaged through it. “Let’s see… uhh… most of their stuff is here so… wait, hold on… aha!”

Something light brown flew outside of the wagon’s hatch, headed straight for Chihiro. He stumbled backwards, barely catching it and stopping it from smacking him in the face. He looked down warily at it. A chunk of bread, ripped in half. 

Leon popped back out again, waving the other half in the air. “Ish goob bread!” He said through a mouthful.

“And yet-“ Chihiro poked it, watching the white part squish easily “-it isn’t stale,” he observed. He ripped his part into three pieces, distributing it to the other two.

Mondo bit into his chunk, swallowed, then gestured to the wreck. “Maybe it’s some sorta accident. Crashes happen all the time.” 

Kiyotaka squinted at it. “That’s possible… but then again, there’s also a large chance that this was no error of the driver’s.” 

He began to pace the forest floor. “Before we left, I went around town, asking everyone in town for information about our path.”

“That’s kinda overkill, paladin.”

“It never hurts to be prepared,” He asserted. “Besides, I found plenty of relevant information.” He stopped pacing, turning to look at them. “This area _has_ had quite the bandit problem in recent months.”

“Ya don’t say?” Mondo seated himself down on a nearby log. 

Leon had emerged from the wagon and was now leaning against it. “There’s gotta be some other stuff you know about them, right?”

“They mostly do it for money and loot. Plus, they stick to the paths. However, they are significant in number, and are apparently rather efficient when hunting down their targets...” Kiyotaka paused. Chihiro pulled his cloak closer to him. 

Kiyotaka briskly shook his head. “There’s very little cause for concern, as long as we stick together. Their main targets are unskilled fighters and friendless travelers. We, as a collective, are neither.”

Chihiro exhaled. “I’m glad...” He found the possibility of having to fend off that sort of danger intimidating. He would prefer to avoid fighting in general. 

“No kidding,” Leon added. “Though, if it did happen, you’d better believe I’d be able to kick all of their asses by myself!”

Both Mondo and Taka gave him a long look of disapproval. “Both of us were there when the goblins kicked your ass last time.”

Leon shushed him, waving a hand. “T-that was a month ago! I’m better now!”

They kept talking, but the sound seemed to grow distant in Chihiro’s head. He stared down at his hands, fiddling with his dress in his fingers. He knew in a one-on-one fight, he didn’t stand a chance. After all, he was a life cleric. He was there to support, not stand alone and fight. That fact didn’t bug him before, but now it was different.

Mondo cleared his throat, looking away from Chihiro. “Y’know, paladin had a point. With the bandits ‘n all.” His voice softened. “It ain’t like we’re unbeatable. Hell, when it gets down to it, we’re all pretty shitty in our own ways.”

The banter died out. Everyone looked to him expectantly. “But we ain’t goin’ at it alone. We’ve got each others’ backs. We’re a team, dammit, and I’ve spent enough with you to not want it any other way.”

He stopped talking, leaving the others nodding solemnly in agreement. Leon gave Mondo’s arm a pat of support. The barbarian covered his face with his hand, barely hiding his flushed face. “Shut up. I ain’t good at pep talks.” 

“Still, you are absolutely correct.” Kiyotaka stepped forward, putting his hand over his heart. “No matter what happens, I’m willing to fight for you all until the very end! That is a promise I’m willing to make!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cue Rocky training montage music*
> 
> Story Notes:  
> \- I see a lot of people talking about Chihiro’s personal struggle to accept himself, but I don’t really see that many people writing it into their stories. It’s usually not the focus, but I just said “fuck it, Chihiro gets to complete his character arc now.”  
> \- Chihiro’s emotional breakdown at the start of the chapter was way too real for me. I wrote it right after I had a very similar episode in my own life. It’s a hard scene for me to reread because it’s so personal.  
> \- As shown by the map scene, all of the SDR2 characters are vibing around Espairia. Sonia’s still a princess, Gundham’s her royal magical advisor, Fuyuhiko’s running the dark underbelly of her nation’s capital city, etc etc etc. However, none of them appear anywhere in this story simply because there is not space or time. Feel free to ask me about any of them though, I probably have a loose idea.
> 
> Updates on Thursdays! (for real this time)


	8. Strength and the Dirt Road Onward Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kiyotaka is (unfortunately) on the case.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru could safely say that he knew his strengths and weaknesses pretty well. He knew that he was a man of strong morals. He knew that he was a skilled swordsman. He knew that he could be a good diplomat during negotiations, and he knew that he was a good chef. 

He also knew that if there was one thing he  _ didn’t  _ know, it was managing social relationships. This made sense. Kiyotaka never had any real friends before. Even the ones who hung around him in his youth had left after his family lost its honor and wealth. For a time, it was liberating. He could focus on doing as much good as possible without anyone dragging him down.

He didn’t see his current friends as a burden, of course. In fact, he was quite comfortable with being the rule-follower of the group, keeping them moving on-track each day. In all honesty, he wasn’t expecting them to continue wanting to be around him. Most people found him to be annoying and wanted to get rid of him quickly. If they felt that way, they hadn’t told him that. Not yet at least.

He stopped. “What am I doing?” he whispered to himself. What he was  _ supposed _ to be doing was gathering the herbs for their meal, but his mind was working on overdrive. Looking down at the pile below him, he realized that, in his distracted state, he’d collected twice the amount he actually needed. He always overworked himself when he overthought.

Kiyotaka sighed, gathering all the leaves and berries into a small pouch and carrying them back to their little campsite. Mondo hadn’t returned yet, but Chihiro and Leon were there, sitting on the grass. 

As he walked closer, a simple lute song came into focus. Kiyotaka smiled to himself. Sometimes, when they had a moment of rest, Leon brought his instrument out and started to strum. The musical accompaniment was nice, and he was very glad to see Leon pursuing his bardic dreams.  _ Though, he does keep to the simpler songs. He could stand to push himself a little more... _

Across from the fighter sat the cleric, deep in a meditative state. Possibly a little too deep; her brow was furrowed and her lips were pursed together. Upon first glance, one might say that she looked absolutely furious. However, Kiyotaka knew this expression well. He’d seen it in his own reflection time and time again, during the days where the stress piled up and it took all he had to keep pushing onward. 

To see it mirrored on his friend’s face was incredibly worrying. He needed to find some way to help with whatever she was going through. Yet, he couldn’t do that if he didn’t actually know what the problem was. It didn’t help that he’d already asked earlier that day, and she’d told him not to worry about it. 

He couldn’t  _ not _ worry about it. That was the problem. And whenever he was faced with a problem, it was in his nature to fight until it was solved.

Neither of his friends had noticed his arrival, so he snuck back to the tent area, where all their bags sat. A voice in his head shrieked that snooping was wrong, but he suppressed it.  _ If it’s for the sake of justice, that can be brushed aside. _

His hand eventually caught hold of what he was looking for: a few loose-leaf slips of paper, and a little container of ink. He knew that if anyone would know what’s going on with Chihiro, it would be Alter Ego.  _ Now, if only I could find him… _

The search didn’t take long. A slight tap on his hand revealed the familiar’s location.

“Ah, there you are. I need to talk to you,” said Kiyotaka, voice lowered. Alter Ego frowned at him, catching on to the secrecy. The paladin placed Alter Ego atop the bag, then kneeled down in front of it. The clay figure mirrored his position.

“I need you to tell me what’s happening with Chihiro.” Alter Ego’s eyes widened for an instant. He nodded upward as if asking for him to continue.

“I can tell there’s something going on. For what it is, I cannot say… but whatever struggle Chihiro is going through, it’s of the utmost importance that I help in any way I can.”

Alter Ego cocked his head, a look of sympathy in his eyes. He grabbed the slip of paper and the ink, beginning to jot a response. Kiyotaka’s hands tightened with each second that passed. Yet, Alter Ego struggled, expressions morphing between grimaces and frowns.

Kiyotaka’s nails were dug deep into his palm by the time he got the slip. Several sentences had been started, then doused in ink. The actual note started in the middle of the slip.

_ “Chihiro’s very lucky to have friends like you. You care very much. I wish I could tell you, but it’s not my place. I’m very sorry.” _

Kiyotaka could feel the hope draining out of his face. In desperation, he opened his mouth to beg for any sort of hint, but the look on Alter Ego’s face stopped him in his tracks. The poor thing looked devastated. The dilemma of potentially having to go against his creator had definitely done a number on him. Kiyotaka withdrew.

“It’s okay, I can understand why you wouldn’t tell me! Nonetheless, thank you.” Alter Ego climbed to his feet. To Taka’s surprise, the figure pointed to him, then to his heart, then stretched his arms out widely. It took the paladin a second to interpret that. When he did, he was overcome with humility.

“T-thank you! You have a wonderful heart as well!” He bowed deeply as a sign of gratitude. Alter Ego jumped off the bag, signaling the end of the conversation. 

Kiyotaka remained in his kneeling position for some time. The warmth of gratitude had begun to fade, leaving the fact that he hadn’t achieved anything tangible. Tears of vexation welled up in his eyes as he tried to think of a better way to get past this.  _ I’ve lost my best chance at helping Chihiro, haven’t I? I’ve failed. I’m a failure. If I had been better, I might have been able to help, but— _

“The hell’re you doing?” Mondo was right behind him. The sheer shock of his arrival startled the tears right out of his eyes. Kiyotaka hurriedly wiped his face, straightening his clothes. 

“I-It’s nothing! Everything is perfectly fine,” He lied. He was never a great liar. The shame flushed his face.  _ Why, oh why, did it have to be him of all people to see me this way?  _ Mondo blinked at him, eyes searching his face for an instant. Kiyotaka dreaded for a moment that Mondo would find a way to comment on his vulnerable state, but he looked away. Was that apathy or embarrassment? Kiyotaka couldn’t tell.

“I’ve, uh, finished the hunting ‘n stuff. If you wanna get cooking or whatever. Don’t take too long, I’m pretty damn hungry right about now.” 

Kiyotaka had almost forgotten about that. “I will. Thank you for notifying me,” he replied stiffly. 

“Yeah. Sure.” Mondo’s lips flattened into a thin line. Kiyotaka took the lull to begin preparing dinner. To his dismay, Mondo didn’t actually take the chance to leave, occupying himself with digging through his bag. An air of awkwardness surrounded the two of them. 

If only Kiyotaka were alone, he could release the emotions and refocus, plot out his next steps in an orderly manner. He normally didn’t mind his emotional outbursts; his intense emotions were a part of him, after all. Yet, he had to put a damper on them in front of others. Especially in front of  _ that _ man. 

Eventually, his exasperation reached a breaking point. “Owada, is there not anything better you could be doing?” he asked. It came out more terse than he’d hoped it to be.

The response came a few seconds late. “What, now I’m not allowed to grab shit from my bag?” He chuckled. “Nice to see you’re gettin’ stricter by the day.” 

Kiyotaka inhaled, preparing on instinct for a stern lecture, but the breath seemed to evaporate in his chest. His heart wasn’t in it. Not one bit.

The exhale came out tired. “Just… do it quickly, okay?” 

That caused Mondo to shift uncomfortably. His eyes drilled into Kiyotaka’s back. He didn’t quite have the energy to argue; his mind was occupied with other things. 

Mercifully, he heard Mondo lift himself off the ground. “I should, uh, get outta your hair, then,” he mumbled. The words lacked the classic bite Taka was used to. He should have felt relieved by that, but it only made him feel worse. Was he feeling disappointed? 

Mondo walked unevenly out of the campsite, but slowed near where Kiyotaka stood. The paladin turned. “...Yes?”

He met the other man’s eyes and stopped short. Kiyotaka knew he was never the best at reading others, but Mondo was always the exception to that rule. Each smirk and scowl displayed itself boldly, with no questions needed. It was simple. Owada was simple.

At that moment, though, all of his preconceptions vanished, for Mondo’s face was painted with a deep, genuine concern. The expression was one he hadn’t seen often until he met his new friends. Chihiro looked at him like that a lot. He even saw it once or twice with Leon.

He never thought Mondo would look at him that way.

The other man’s voice was soft when he spoke again. “Uh, paladin, are you…?” He trailed off. Taka’s stomach twisted slightly in confusion. 

“You should not be worrying about me. As I said… I’m fine.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah.” The barbarian’s face tightened into a scowl. The impression of worry didn’t quite vanish. Not long after, he was gone. Taka was back to being alone.

He ran a hand through his hair. Owada’s response to him confirmed that he really was worn down. A little voice in his head asked if he’d be better off letting this go. He shook the thought off.  _ Chihiro’s my friend! I have to do everything I can! _

In that instant, something clicked into place. 

He shot up, blinking the weariness from his eyes.  _ What am I thinking? How could I let myself give up so easily when a potential answer is so close?  _ Finding Chihiro and Mondo in the garden that morning… that was no coincidence, was it? No, they definitely had to be talking about something important. It was a perfectly solitary location, after all, not to mention the time of day. 

The only conclusion to come to was that Mondo was somehow involved with this mystery. And Kiyotaka Ishimaru would not stop until he got to the bottom of it!

—————

Kiyotaka approached Mondo that night, after everyone else had gone to sleep. He hadn’t been expecting to do so. He’d been lying awake in his small tent, almost dozing off when the sound of heavy footsteps cued him to act. Kiyotaka had planned to actually discuss it with him the next day during the walk, but when one is given an opportune moment, it must be seized. 

Despite his normally loud demeanor, the paladin found he was actually decent at moving quietly when he wasn't wearing his armor. Sneaking was necessary at this time, as it would be problematic if the others were to be involved.

Kiyotaka reached a hand out to tap the man’s shoulder. Upon the gentle impact, Mondo let out a startled noise, followed by a sharp, reflexive swing of the barbarian’s arm. Taka barely ducked out of the way when Mondo’s face relaxed in recognition.

He let his swinging arm fall down and used his other hand to stabilize Taka. “Shit, paladin, are you out of your damn mind?!” he whispered angrily. “Don’t creep up on me like that! I coulda smacked you!”

“I apologize!” Kiyotaka whisper-yelled. “It was not my intention to scare you!” He softened his tone slightly. “I only wished to speak to you for a moment.” 

Mondo pulled his hand away. “You wanna… talk? To me?” He furrowed his brow, and spoke slowly. “What’s this about?”

Kiyotaka stepped closer, straightening his posture. Mondo looked down at him, and there it was again. That look of concern. The paladin closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before staring Mondo dead in the eyes. “It’s about Chihiro.”

Mondo’s face went cautiously blank. “What about Chihiro?”

“Something has changed with her and you have something to do with it.”

Something intense flickered through Mondo’s eyes. He turned away, nonchalant. “No clue what you’re talking about.”

He wouldn’t let him get away that easily. “That’s not true and you know it!” Mondo’s gaze jumped to the line of tents and back again.  _ Right, I have to keep it down.  _

He brought his voice to a sharp whisper. “Ever since we started traveling again, it’s been happening. The day before, I saw you in the garden with her. The timing lines up too well to be a coincidence, Owada.”

Mondo’s jaw clenched. Kiyotaka had him cornered, but realized that he didn’t know where to take it from here.

He looked down. Now would be a good time to stop and breathe, to stop and think. Nonetheless, the thoughts continued to flow out of his mouth. “I… can’t be positive of what exactly this all means. I do not even understand how exactly Chihiro has changed.” Kiyotaka shuffled his feet. “But what I do know is… I should have acted sooner.”

He felt a surge of guilt in his stomach. The all-too familiar thoughts of _you_ _should have been better_ rang in his ears. He stared at his hands. “There are times when you make mistakes, when you fail the people around you. In those times… you need to take responsibility for what you’ve done.”

A stiffening in the man in front of him shut him up. He looked up to the sight of Mondo, eyes aflame, hands clenched into tight fists. 

“So… what?” Mondo spat, voice low and intense. “What’re you sayin’? I have to take responsibility for my ‘mistakes’? For all the ‘suffering’ you say I’ve caused? For what you think I did to Chihiro?” The man ran a shaky hand through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief. “Shit, paladin, I knew you didn’t like me, but  _ this… this  _ is a new fuckin’ low.”

“Wait, I—“ Kiyotaka reached out for Mondo, but the man backed away, recoiling.

“I bet you’re so fuckin’ proud of yourself, huh? Playing the good guy in all this, stopping the ‘bad guy’ in his tracks?” He continued to back away. “God, I can’t believe you think I’d go out and…  _ hurt _ Chihiro! Is that the person you see right now? Some sorta heartless beast?”

“I—“

“Y’know what? Don’t answer that. You’ve already said enough.” Mondo’s breathing had grown shallow. He cast one last look at Taka. Then he turned around and marched down the path.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“Away from here.  _ Don’t _ follow me.” With that threat, he disappeared into the trees.

Kiyotaka stared after him. Strangely, he could hear Mondo’s voice jeering at him in his mind.  _ You’ve really fucked it up now, paladin. _

He knew this was his fault, but he also knew how Mondo got. If he tried to talk it out now, the barbarian would probably cuss him out. 

So, he formulated a plan.  _ I’ll wait here until he cools off. When he returns, I’ll apologize and explain myself. We’ll clear the air. Maybe I’ll get some answers. Everything will return to the way it was. _

He crossed his arms and slumped to the ground, eyes diligently trained on the spot Mondo left from. But eyes tend to wander, and Taka’s eyes were no exception. 

Naturally, they went to the spot where Mondo had stood before Taka had confronted him. Then they went to the tree stump right next to it. Mondo’s bag sat atop it, with his hand axes placed haphazardly around and his battle axe leaning against it.

_ All of Mondo’s axes _ . 

_ His weapons of choice _ . _ He’d left them there. _

Taka would have sworn up a storm if he were the type to do so.

He scrambled to his feet, throwing on his armor more panicked than he ever had before. Of all the mistakes he’d made, he was sure that this was the worst.  _ How could I just forget that simple “stay-as-one-group” rule? I made it myself! And now Owada’s going to get himself killed because of me! _

Sword and shield in hand, he sprinted down the path, not glancing back.

—————

The road they’d walked on earlier that day looked completely different, with the moonlight barely peering through the trees. Nocturnal creatures called out into the dark. The cold night wind pushed against him through the trees. Kiyotaka knew that he had to get back to the warmth and safety of the camp as soon as possible.

He also knew that he had been walking too long to not see Mondo. They should have crossed paths by now. He clutched his sword tighter. 

He inhaled deeply, cupping a hand around his mouth.  _ Desperate times call for desperate measures.  _

“Mondo!” He yelled. “Where are you? We need to get back to camp!” His voice echoed into the night. He waited for a few seconds, wondering if maybe he’d be lucky and the barbarian would appear just around the bend. 

That moment didn’t come. Taka bit his lip, turning around. He had to return to camp before it was too late. Leon and Chihiro were waiting for him, right? 

He heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Three sets of footsteps. He stopped cold.

He straightened his spine, getting into his battle stance. “Are any of you responsible for what happened to Owada?” He asked resolutely.

“Owada?” One of them whisper-shouted to the other.

“The angry guy who tried to punch you down the path,” one of the others responded. Taka’s eyes widened.  _ This really is the worst case scenario. I need to keep my guard up. _

He turned around, getting a good look at the three attackers. Despite the darkness and the fact that they were fully masked, it was undeniable that they were bandits. Kiyotaka planted his feet.

“Where did you take him? Tell me, or I will strike all of you down where you stand.”

The third bandit spoke up. “White armor... red eyes... somethin’ about justice... yup, it all lines up.” This person seemed like the leader of the bunch, judging by the way the others were looking to him for guidance. “Go get ‘im, boys.” 

The other two nodded, pulling out a dagger and club.  _ If it’s a fight you want, then a fight is what you’ll get! _

The one with the dagger was the first to lunge, going for the neck. The paladin jumped back, throwing the bandit off balance. He lifted his shield and blocked the axe swinging for his side. With a hearty push, that enemy fell to the dirt. The one with the dagger recovered quickly, but Kiyotaka could deflect his blows with his sword. 

He could do this, but not for too long. He was skilled, but outnumbered. A flicker of light from the leader’s torch signaled Taka to change tactics.  _ If their leader’s gone, I might be able to cause enough panic to make an escape! _ When a window of opportunity appeared, he ran right for the light. 

The paladin raised his sword, but didn’t get the chance to strike. A bright, white pain exploded behind his eyes, erupting at the back of his head. A second later, and he was on the ground. He could barely register someone standing beside him, holding a club covered in blood. The hot feeling on his head told him it was his own. The throbbing overwhelmed him then, and he fell into unconsciousness.

—————

The pain was the first thing he felt as he awoke, pulsing through his head. His body ached, too. It felt like he’d been pulled in all directions and then shoved down a mountain.

Something pushed against his stomach, but his mind was too unfocused to figure out what it was. “...amit… aking… im… ” The voice sounded muffled, as if he was hearing it from underwater.

He tried to move his head, craning his neck to hear what the person was saying. It didn’t take long to realize he couldn’t move much else. His arms and legs were bound with rope. 

“...mon! ...otta get…ka!” This voice was slightly higher, and a little more panicked sounding. Something started hitting his back repeatedly. Kiyotaka groaned, shifting his body away from it as much as he could muster.

“Urgh… where am I…?” It surprised the paladin how weak his voice sounded. Luckily, his head was clearing up. He opened his eyes but still couldn’t see anything. And still, his back continued to be hit. It started to hurt. “And what is—“

“Shit, Leon, stop kicking him! He’s alive.” The kicking paused, and he heard a relieved exhale.

Then, a final, angry kick to the back. “Dammit, Taka, what the hell! We thought they’d gone and killed you and thrown your freaking corpse in here! We were really worried, man!” 

It was a relief to hear Mondo and Leon’s voices. “No, I’m alright. Thankfully. My head is in a lot of pain, but I will be okay.” His eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness, seeing the shrouded outlines of his friends. “I am still confused about where I am, though.”

“Take a wild guess. We’re all tied up in a wagon, after you were a dumbass and followed me into the woods.” 

The events of the night flashed back before his eyes. A rush of anger ran through Kiyotaka. “I still can’t believe you ran off like that! Without your axes, no less! You knew the risks!”

“That’s—“ Mondo groaned loudly, shifting against his ropes. The wagon shook with the movement. “Aghh, I was pissed off, okay!? It was really fuckin’ stupid, and I know I fucked everything up by running, but… goddamnit, I didn’t know what else I could do!”

Leon sighed. “I never thought this day was gonna come, but I’m pretty sure I was the only not-stupid guy here. Like, seriously? What happened to the whole ‘we need to stick together’ thing?” Neither of the two other men spoke, ashamed. 

Leon clicked his tongue. “I was just minding my own business when they busted in and destroyed the camp. Dude, I probably looked like an idiot, running around looking for you guys.”

“This coming from the guy who said he could take them all down alone,” Mondo mumbled.

“Wait,” Kiyotaka said. “You’re saying the bandits came to the camp and took you there?”

“Uh, yeah, pretty much?”

“Then how did you get captured? Chihiro must have helped you fight, so I’m sure you could have beaten them!”

“Oh. Um. Well.” That was not the reaction Kiyotaka wanted to hear. Leon spoke slowly. “I, uh, thought  _ you’d _ know where she was. ‘Cuz... she wasn’t in her tent.”

“ _ Chihiro’s missing?! _ ” Kiyotaka struggled furiously against his ropes. When that didn’t work, he started slamming his body against any surface he could. Mondo and Leon tried to calm him down, but the thought of resigning himself to helplessness only made him feel more panicked. 

“Fuckin’ hell, Taka! Stop! You’re already injured, and you’re not gonna be able to help anyone if you’re dead!”

The paladin stopped. Mondo had a point, and he hated it. However, the adrenaline had already begun to drain out of him, and he was feeling the effects of his injury.

“I… I apologize.” He tried to sit up again, but exhaustion had kicked in, and all he could do was lay on his side on the ground. “I just despise not being able to do anything. Especially with none of us knowing where Chihiro is.”

Mondo cleared his throat. “Uh, heh, about that…”

“You know where—!”

“Tch, I ain’t sayin’ I know where Chihiro is  _ now.  _ I just know a certain spot where we said we’d meet. You said they stick to the paths, right? If that’s the case, Chi’s prolly safe and hidden.”

Taka and Leon let out sighs of relief. 

“So, Chihiro’s safe, but… we still don’t have any idea what we’ll do now,” Leon said. 

“We wait,” Mondo said. “I’m no prophet, but I bet it won’t take long for rescue to come. That dude’ll get us out of here in no time.” A smile crept into his voice. “All we gotta do is believe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof ouchy. I wonder what Chihiro’s doing during all this?
> 
> Story notes:  
> \- Alter Ego is a kind of strange character. On one hand, I’m a little upset how everyone simply forgets about him entirely (he had, like, an execution and everything. You’d think that would earn him a spot in tier lists but it doesn’t) but on the other hand it’s not like there was much personality there to begin with ://.   
> \- My writing style might be a little inconsistent during this arc. I actually took roughly 8 months to write it with school and all keeping me busy. At one point I decided to scrap it and rewrite from scratch to truly get in touch with the characters.  
> \- Wow, there are a shocking number of detailed accounts for how it feels to be hit on the head by a baseball bat. Ouch.
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	9. Strength and the Dirt Road Onward Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chihiro conducts a rescue mission.

_ Earlier that night... _

Chihiro was becoming anxious. He’d checked  and double-checked that yes, he was, in fact, in the correct training location. Mondo usually took his time, as to not arouse too much suspicion for the others. Still, Chihiro must have been waiting at least an hour, which was far too long.

He picked up his staff and started heading back to camp.  _ I guess training will have to wait for another day _ . It was irritating that his trainer had canceled on such short notice. Maybe something came up. He decided he’d ask about it the next day.

The first signal that something was amiss was the column of flame rising above the area the camp sat. It was a regularly sized column, characteristic of the average campfire. Yet, it was the middle of the night. Had one of them forgotten to put it out?

The more Chihiro thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Taka always took care to extinguish the flame, as to not cause a fire in the night. To ignore that would be an irresponsible mistake. 

Something was wrong.

Chihiro softened his movements, but hastened his stride. He moved quickly but silently towards the camp. Being a wood elf had its perks.

As he got closer, the sound of voices arose. Chihiro didn’t recognize any of them. Kiyotaka’s warning of bandits flashed through his mind, and he clutched his staff closer to his body. 

It was fortunate that none of the bandits seemed to be looking for him, so he placed himself behind a cluster of bushes. A few were mulling around, taking down tents and throwing wood on the fire. Most were clumped together, surrounding something. 

The bush rustled. Chihiro instinctively put his hand out to cast a spell, but lowered it upon realizing that the sound was too small to be an attacker. Out of the brush crawled Alter Ego, eyes wide with dismay.

Chihiro was overjoyed that his familiar had gotten out safely, but he knew the situation was far from good. The golem started gesturing wildly. Unfortunately, without a notepad Chihiro couldn’t interpret it. He put a hand up to stop Alter Ego, then put a finger to his lips. Though the panicked expression didn’t leave, Alter Ego nodded. Chihiro picked him up and slipped him on his shoulder, pulling the hood over his head. Explanations could come later; for now, he had to be discreet.

The elf scaled a tree, peering out of the foliage to see what had happened. He suppressed a yelp upon seeing the strangers yanking the familiar white armor off of Kiyotaka’s very unconscious body. A bandage was hastily wrapped around the man’s head, but blood had soaked through it nonetheless.

After all the armor was removed, they let his body flop to the ground. Chihiro cringed at the hearty  _ thump _ . One of the bandits groaned. “Look, I didn’t kill him! I bopped him on the head and he’s knocked out, ‘s all!” 

Another checked the paladin’s pulse, then smacked the first guy. “You’re on thin ice, dumbass. We’re not supposed to kill them. If any of the three die tonight, you’re next, got it?” Taka’s attacker grumbled bitterly.

One of the meandering bandits walked over, dusting her hands on her pants. “Tie him up and throw him in the wagon with the other two. You can do that much without fucking it up, right?” The group nodded, picking him up.

Chihiro nervously fidgeted with his cloak.  _ That means all of them will be alive and together. And with how the bandits were talking, they also don’t know that I’m here yet. _ He needed every advantage he could get, if he wanted to help his friends. 

—————

A tracking spell was all Chihiro needed to find the enemy camp. He perched himself atop a tree overlooking the area. It sat at the bottom of a crater-like hole, sparsely lit except for the campfire in the center. Circling around the campfire were a few wagons, all different shapes and sizes ( _ probably stolen and rebuilt to store loot,  _ Chihiro guessed). 

What this showed was that these weren’t just some small-town criminals, but a well organized team of thieves. Some of them sat relaxing around the fire, but there were a few diligently patrolling the area, too. With one yell, the entire camp could come running. Chihiro gulped.

There was no time for pondering. Alter Ego tugged on his cloak. A large crowd had gathered around the cart. It seemed like everyone was lending a hand in hauling stuff away.  _ Our stuff _ , Chihiro thought bitterly, shooting a mournful glance at his books and papers as they were chucked into a wagon without a second thought. 

What worsened the blow was seeing all of their weapons, plus Taka’s armor and Leon’s lute, thrown in right after. It would take a miracle for his things to survive all that weight.  _ I should look on the bright side,  _ he reminded himself.  _ At least all of the important things ended up in the same place _ .  _ Well, everything except… _

“Shit! I missed Taka!” He muttered, slamming a palm to his head. He’d lost track of him in the confusion. He smacked his head against the tree trunk. “What kind of foolish idiot can’t keep track of his own friend?! How am I supposed to get him out now? Now I don’t know where he is, or how to get to him, or… or...” 

_ Or how to do anything right,  _ a little voice in his head finished.  _ Or how to stop being such a burden.  _ Hell, this was the one time he had to be there, and what did he do? Get overwhelmed and break down, just like always. Maybe insecurity and failure and weakness were just coded into him. He could try and try, but he would never be able to outrun them. 

“That’s all I can do, right? Hide and cower, huh,” He whispered. “God, why do I even try? I’m just a weak excuse of a cleric, who can’t even keep his friends safe. Hell, I’m so weak I can’t even share my own gender with them. How miserable is that?” He laughed numbly, pulling his legs up to his chest. 

A very small hand collided with his cheek. Then, it happened again. And a third time.

Alter Ego was slapping him. It wasn’t actually painful in any way, but still surprised Chihiro. Alter Ego never supported violence in any situation. As it continued, it felt more like a dull poke, and was starting to irritate the elf.

“Hey, stop that!” Chihiro grabbed Alter Ego off his shoulder. The tiny golem struggled furiously, wiggling his arms out of Chihiro’s closed fists and crossing them. Chihiro sighed. “What’s with you? You’re not usually like this.”

Alter Ego pointed at Chihiro, right between the eyes. Chihiro could almost hear him saying _“get a hold of yourself!”_

Then, Alter Ego’s mouth began to move. Each motion was slow and deliberate, even exaggerated slightly so Chihiro could read the message on his lips. 

And he could. He could hear it loud and clear, ringing through his head and pulsing through his veins. 

“ _ They. Need. You _ .”

_ They need me. Me. Chihiro Fujisaki. _ It suddenly came rushing back to him: Mondo’s honest encouragement during the long nights of training, Leon’s easy jokes and conversation. Even Taka’s loyal concern for his well-being.

Chihiro needed them; that much was true. He couldn’t go back to the days of isolating himself, hiding within the puzzles of his mind where it was safer and quiet. With them, he could be himself. 

_ They probably feel the same, don’t they? _

He sat up, leaning forwards.  _ That’s it! I can’t give up on them now! _ He still didn’t know where any of them were, but hope hadn’t vanished yet! He’d keep on trying, no matter how long it took for the window of opportunity to open.

It didn’t take long, because one of the wagons jumped. Chihiro did a double take. It was still again.  _ Were my eyes playing tricks on me? _

They were not. That little wagon began to shake, shifting noisily. Then voices started to rise in it, chaotic and panicked and so very familiar. Chihiro almost melted with relief upon hearing their shouting.

He stood up. “Well, it looks like they’re still fighting. Time for me to do the same.” 

The instant one of the patrolling bandits stepped out of sight, Chihiro made his move, bolting to a spot cast in shadow.  _ Inhale. Exhale. You can do this. _

He peeked around the corner of his cover. The destination waited near the center of the encampment. It figured that this would be no easy rescue. The distance was a little overwhelming.

What he could do was break it into parts. One step at a time. He tuned out the idle noise of his head. Footsteps faded in and out of earshot. Torchlight’s orange glow made way for the gentle blue of the moon. The instant the wind began to howl, he made a break for it, dashing to the next patch of cover. 

Slowly but surely, he got closer. His excitement grew more potent with each new sprint. The wagon sat like a beacon of light only a few yards away. So close he could taste it. 

The coast seemed clear. Only a few steps were needed for him to reach the door. His hand rested on the handle. 

Before he could pull down, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, yanking him back.

His heart stopped cold. A million different forms of panic jolted through him, adrenaline bursting through his veins. In one swift reflex, he slammed his staff back in full force, smacking the bandit right in the head. The poor guy crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Chihiro looked at his hands in awe.  _ I didn’t know I had that in me! _ He reined himself in. Celebrations could come later, when everyone was safe and sound. He picked his victim up by the back of his shirt. Heavy. Painstakingly, he dragged him up the wooden steps, leaning against the door to open it.

The door creaked open, casting moonlight into the dark wagon. He dragged the man in with an  _ oomph _ , quickly shutting the door behind him.

He cast a small flame spell in his hand and threw off his hood. The adrenaline high from before made his movements short and jittery. There was so much to say and do, and he took a deep breath to prepare for the heavy stream of words about to flow out.

In the instant he looked up, all the words got lodged in his throat. All of them looked like they’d been dragged through hell and back. Dirt covered everyone from head to toe, and this might have been the first time Chihiro had seen Mondo without his hair styled. Exhaustion traced their features over with shadows, making them sag. Despite all of this, the part that stuck with him most was the way his friends stared at him. Their eyes were wide and disbelieving, yet so full of hope, like the way you look at something that’s just too good to be true.

“You… you guys are alright.” His voice was high, and cracked a little at the end. “You’re alright,” he repeated, as if to prove to himself that this was real.

Kiyotaka cleared his throat. “Yes, we are alright, but what about you?” The paladin began to wiggle around, trying to look Chihiro over. “Are you well? Did you sustain any injuries? Is there—“

“No, no, I’m fine,” Chihiro reassured.  _ Classic Taka, always the doting parent of the group _ . “And, um…” he added, voice lowered in secrecy, “they actually don’t know I’m here yet. We have to keep this quiet.”

“Ah yes!” Kiyotaka whispered, catching on.

A slow smile spread across Mondo’s face. “What’d I tell you all? Ha! I knew Chi was gonna sneak in here and save our asses!”

“And then some,” Leon said, nudging his head towards the unconscious bandit on the floor. “Man, I’d better hear the story behind this when we’re all out of here.”

“Well, we actually need to escape,” Chihiro reminded. “That’s what comes first.”

Getting them out of their ropes was a simple matter of grabbing the knife from the bandit and sawing the rope off of each person. Leon and Mondo immediately got to work on tying up the bandit, which left one more person to untie.

Kiyotaka straightened himself up as Chihiro walked over. His gaze was slightly hazy. Chihiro gave a small nod as he began to saw Taka’s ropes off. 

“Ah, thank you,” he said, rubbing the spots where the rope was tightest. “And, er, I know I just asked this, but… is there anything I can do to help you?”

Chihiro smiled. “All things considered, I feel good. I’m just happy that I found you guys. Plus, if anyone needs help, it’s you.” 

Chihiro glanced up at the bandage still tied around Kiyotaka's head. Carefully, he unwrapped it, moving slow to avoid further injury. His hand still brushed by his head. Taka cringed, hand involuntarily coming up to shield his wound.

Chihiro pulled the rest of the bandage off, then folded his hands in his lap. “Wow. They did a number on you, didn’t they?”

Kiyotaka winced again. He attempted a smile, which came out more like a grimace. “It’s… nothing I can’t handle.”

Chihiro made a face at him. Normally, he’d let a comment like that slide, but he’d already been through enough that night. “That isn’t true! If you keep pushing yourself like this, you might end up even worse, and that’s not worth the risk.”

Taka went quiet. Chihiro gently put a hand over his forehead and cast a healing spell. The paladin blinked a few times, coming back into focus. Before Chihiro could pull away, he overheard the slightest murmur from Taka. “I’m sorry.” 

“Hm? You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

Kiyotaka kept his eyes lowered. “All of this is my fault. So I need to apologize.”

“Hey…” Chihiro said softly. “If you keep putting the weight of the world on your shoulders, you’re going to get crushed. You don’t need to take responsibility for every little thing, because that’s what we’re here for.” Taka looked up, surprised. “We’ve all got your back, okay? Even Mondo, though he’d probably never admit it.”

For the first time that night, Kiyotaka genuinely smiled. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

As Chihiro stood, he extended a hand out. Taka took it, getting pulled to his feet. 

Taka’s eyes widened slightly. “Wow! Your grip is quite strong tonight! I’m impressed!”

“Is it?” Chihiro smiled.  _ I guess it has been paying off, huh? _

Mondo and Leon had finished what they were doing, so everyone sat in a small, cramped circle on the floor. 

Leon cleared his throat. “Well? What now?”

Nobody spoke for a few seconds. Chihiro looked up and realized that everyone was waiting for him to speak. 

“Oh. Umm… well, the first thing we could do is sneak away now. Getting out with our lives is the safer option. We’d have to abandon our supplies, not to mention our weapons and—”

“Fuck no.” Mondo crossed his arms. “I’m not goin’ anywhere without my axe. End of story.” 

“Yeah, fair enough, but Chihiro kinda has a point.” Leon cast a nervous glance at Taka, then looked back at the elf. “I’m pretty sure I’m not ready to die for this. I mean, I guess we could try, but could we actually pull it off?”

“I believe we can!” Kiyotaka planted his hands on his hips. It was good to see him back to his old self. “They may be able to take us down when we’re apart, but not when we’re working together!”

“I think so too,” Chihiro said. “But… we need to figure out how we’re going to actually get away with this.” He tapped his chin, feeling the gears starting to turn in his head.

“First thing’s first…” Chihiro turned to Kiyotaka and Mondo. “You two need to go together and get our weapons and armor. Alter Ego will guide you to the spot.”

They eyed each other warily. Chihiro sighed. “I know you two aren’t the closest, but the rest of us probably couldn’t carry everything.”

For a tense moment, Chihiro thought that they might argue, but Mondo grunted. “Fine. I trust your judgement.”

“And you’d better work out whatever you were fighting about while you’re at it,” Leon piped in. “I’m not the kind of dude to pry, but you guys’ve gotta be better at communicating.”

“...right,” Kiyotaka said slowly. Chihiro was out of the loop for what was going on here, but Taka swiftly changed the subject. “What about you and Leon?”

“Lemme guess, distraction duty?” He pounded his fist in his hand. “C’mon, it’s what I do best.”

Chihiro chuckled. “Sadly, no. There are a lot of enemies to distract, and you don’t have your weapons, remember?” Leon pouted, muttering something about never being allowed to have fun. “We should be on lookout, just to be safe. I can subtly distract the patrolling guards. You’ll get your chance soon enough, though.” That seemed to satisfy him.

The plan in place, they began to gather by the door. Chihiro passed Alter Ego to Taka, and was almost ready to leave when Leon cleared his throat.

He extended a hand. “Hey, could I hold onto the knife? I can’t do too much without my scimitars, but some sorta weapon would be better than nothing.”

Mondo skeptically eyed the blade as Chihiro passed it to the man. “You’d better not be slitting anyone’s throat with that.”

A look of disgust passed over Leon’s face. “Didn’t plan on it. I really don’t wanna kill anyone with this, even if it is a buncha stupid bandits. No killing, ‘kay?”

No one had any objections. None of them were the killing type anyways.

Taka pressed his ear to the door, then pulled away. “Well, we have all waited long enough,” he said. He gave a small bow to Chihiro and Leon. “Stay safe.” 

“Good luck, guys,” Chihiro said. No more encouragement was needed. A final nod, then into the night they went.

—————

Being inside a tightly packed wagon for a few hours can make one forget the intensity of the open winds. With no armor to reflect the chill, the paladin found himself shivering. 

The night was cold, but colder still was the company he kept. Mondo hadn’t said a word since they had left. Well, that much was to be expected, as their goal was to keep a low profile. Despite that, every time Kiyotaka glanced back at his partner, the man just happened to look anywhere else. That was… suboptimal. 

They had a mission to do, though. He could focus on that much. Alter Ego guided them to the place where their weapons supposedly were. 

It was a miracle that nothing tumbled out as the door opened. The two men could barely maneuver themselves inside and shut the door. Taka felt around the walls until he found the cool touch of a lantern, and switched it on.

“Those fuckers really dumped my stuff at the bottom of this junk, huh,” Mondo groaned, kicking a small pile of bags. “How the hell’re we s’posed to find anything here?”

“If we stay focused, it will be over sooner,” Kiyotaka replied. He looked over the stacks of things and sighed.  _ This is probably going to take awhile. _

It did. It was quickly evident that the thieves had no system for storage, and just threw everything they had into whichever space was open. Which meant that until they found their pile, they’d have to keep digging.

Kiyotaka glanced back to his partner, searching on the other side of the wagon. He’d been glancing back a lot. A tiny part of him wished that Mondo would say some sort of small jab, just so they wouldn’t have to sit in the tense silence anymore.

Taka knew that it wouldn’t happen. He had no right to feel let down about it. It was his fault, after all. He cast his eyes down and got back to digging.

He felt a tug on his pant leg. Alter Ego was pointing him to the corner opposite where Mondo was currently sitting. The man raised an eyebrow as Taka walked over. “Alter Ego found something here,” he explained. “I decided to check.” Mondo grunted in acknowledgement, but said nothing. They went back to searching.

How was it even possible for the silence to become more potent? Maybe it was that they were sitting only a few feet apart now. Kiyotaka shot an angry thought at Alter Ego, asking why he couldn’t have simply asked Mondo to scoot over and look in the next pile so he wouldn’t have to deal with the tension. 

Taka stopped digging, letting his hands fall to the ground. “Leon was correct, you know. We can’t avoid talking forever.”

He heard Mondo stop moving. A beat. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

The paladin sighed. “I know.” No surprise there, but nonetheless, hearing it confirmed hurt a little. “You don’t need to say anything. Hear me out. That’s all I ask.”

Mondo didn’t reply, but he continued to sit still. That was confirmation enough. 

“I know you might not believe me when I say this. I can understand if you don’t. But I am truly,  _ truly _ sorry for everything that has happened tonight, and especially what I said to you. You are not to blame for any of this.”

Mondo inhaled deeply. “You told me... some people make mistakes and fail those around them.” Mondo’s voice was restrained, much of its usual growl absent. “You said they need to take responsibility for their failure. What’d you mean by that?”

“I was not talking about you when I said that, not at all. I can’t pretend to think highly of you, but you’re no failure. You’re not a bad person.”

“Then why—“

“I was talking about _myself_. About _me_. My _own_ failures.” The knife of guilt twisted in Kiyotaka’s stomach. “I haven’t been a great friend throughout all of this, you should know that much. Honestly, I have spent most of my life without friendship, so it makes sense that I’m no good with handling it now that it’s here. I saw a change in Chihiro, so I felt a duty to help her. But I couldn’t figure out how, so I panicked, and…” Taka sharply took in a breath. “You know the rest. I guess, if anything, tonight has only proven my own incapabilities.”

That was everything he needed to say. He’d accepted his own responsibility. No matter how negatively Mondo reacted, at least Taka had gotten the chance to say his piece.

Mondo turned himself around to face Taka. He narrowed his eyes. “Once this shit is over, you’re gonna need to sleep for twenty hours. And eat a fuck ton of food and not cook any of it. Hell, you might need a drink, though you’re prolly too uptight for that. Anything to make you relax for once, if that’s even possible.”

Taka blinked. That was not the reaction he was expecting. “And all’s forgiven by the way,” Mondo added. “Can’t believe I didn’t consider you were just goin’ and being mad at yourself for no reason. I’ve been around you too long to miss that.”

Taka smiled. It was good to have Mondo back. “I guess you have been.” 

The conversation finished, they turned back to digging through the piles of loot. They’d lost a lot of time, so they had to pick up the pace. Still, Taka couldn’t help but feel it was more than worth it. 

Mondo had finished with the corner he was searching through. He scooted over towards Kiyotaka. “Y’know, bein’ honest here, I wish I could help you more with the Chihiro thing,” Mondo said. 

Taka glanced over in curiosity. The man continued. “I can’t go pretending I’m not involved with it, cuz I am. My lips are still sealed, though. The only person who can really let you in is Chihiro.”

“I know, but still…” Taka bit his lip. “I wish I could do a little more.” 

“The best thing to do is just be there,” Mondo said. “You don’t gotta push her to the finish, cuz it’s not your race to run. Do what you can, then trust that she can do the rest. If she needs help, she’ll ask.”

Kiyotaka hummed thoughtfully. “You know, I could swear that she told me that exact thing, once.”

“Maybe you should listen better,” Mondo teased, pushing aside a stack of clothes. “Point is, Chihiro’ll tell you everything when she’s ready. You gotta support her when she does, yeah?”

Kiyotaka smiled down at his hands. “I suppose I can’t fail that much.”

He pressed his hand on the open floor in front of him. It hit him that he’d just cleared his general area. “Wait, what? Did I miss something?!” He frantically patted the area around him. “Alter Ego must have seen something here.”

Mondo barked out a laugh at Taka’s expense. “Or he lied to get you to talk to me.”

“Lying? No! He wouldn’t do that! Would he?” The paladin turned around to find Alter Ego. The tiny golem was sitting behind them, a satisfied grin on his face. “Okay, maybe it is a possibility.”

Mondo smirked, digging a hand into the pile. “I bet he— Ow! Shit!” He hissed in pain, his arm recoiling.

“What happened?! Are you seriously injured?”

“Nah, some stupid thing just cut my fucking hand!” Mondo glared down at the pile. He stopped. Then his eyes widened. “Well, paladin, it looks like your sword found me first.”

Taka leant over and shoved the rest of the obstructions out of the way. He’d never been so happy to see his sword and shield in one place.

Mondo picked up his axe. “Whaddaya say we get some payback?”

—————

“Damn, could they hurry this up a little? I’m tired as hell,” Leon muttered. He yawned, stretching out. “Any news from up there?”

“No, nothing.” Chihiro rested his head back against the bark of the tree. They had decided the safest place to keep watch from was one of the trees on the perimeter. Chihiro had taken the highest spot he could, using the light of the moon to illuminate the area. Thankfully, no one had noticed Taka and Mondo while they were sneaking around, so all they really had to do was wait. Or so they thought. 

Leon was the first one to notice. He sat up abruptly, wobbling with the shift in weight and almost tumbling off his branch.

Chihiro pushed his foot on Leon’s shoulder, working as a counterweight. “Hey, don’t move too quickly,” Chihiro whispered. “If you fall off, you could get hurt!”

Leon waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, but listen for a sec!” Chihiro did. “Am I crazy, or can you hear it too?”

Past the hum of the crickets, the rustle of leaves, and the quiet thump of footsteps on gravel, Chihiro realized that Leon wasn’t off the mark. He could hear a distant voice. It was shouting, but it seemed to be muffled by something. It dawned on him that it was coming from the very wagon they had all just escaped from.

Leon and Chihiro realized it at the same time. “Maaaaybe you should have knocked him out harder,” Leon said.

“It’s too late for that, though,” Chihiro said hurriedly.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine! If no one notices, we don’t even have to worry,” Leon replied. Chihiro looked up. The bandits had already started moving in that direction. 

Leon gritted his teeth together. “Okay, plan B: time for distraction duty.”

“Oh no you don’t. You’ll die in an instant.” Chihiro said.

“Then listen up.” Leon craned his neck to check how long he had. He looked up to Chihiro, all business. “I’ll make this quick. Distraction duty 101. This is on you, Chihiro, so I gotta do my best here.”

“On me?!”

“First rule of distraction: you gotta throw ‘em off their game. Doesn’t matter how, you just gotta do it.”

The bandits were nearing the wagon. Chihiro dug his nails into his palm. “O-okay?”

“Second rule: don’t overthink it. Do whatever feels right in the moment. I usually just start running and screaming but you’re different, so do what feels right.”

The bandits had begun to clump together. Chihiro rapidly drummed his fingers on the branch. “What else?”

“Believe in yourself, that’s it!” 

_ What am I supposed to do with just that?! _ Chihiro slapped his head.  _ You don't have time to overthink this! Do what feels right! _ He shut his eyes.  _ What can I do to throw them off? _

They were almost at the door now. Chihiro took in a breath. “Okay this is going to be kinda crazy but—“

“Stop doubting and just go, dammit!” Chihiro thrust his arm out, feeling the power of the spell course through his veins and burst into life.

_ Sploosh! _ All the torches went out. A moment later, they were all yelling in confusion.

“Did you just… dump water on them?”

“Yup.”  _ Time for part two.  _ He thought back to the pages of the book he had read. Chihiro had never actually cast a rune spell before, but it was the best shot he had. He blocked out the panicked screaming and focused his mind, zooming in until he found the door of the wagon in question. He murmured the incantation, gently tracing the shape of the rune in his mind. In the distance, he saw it flicker onto the door with a flash of light. 

“Do you think any of them caught that?” Chihiro asked Leon.

“I have no clue what the hell’s happening,” Leon said, the excited grin audible in his voice.

Chihiro threw his hood up. “You still have that knife, yes? When the explosion happens, you and I need to start fighting, fast. They’ll be disoriented. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out how to get the upper hand on them, right?”

“Got it, chief.” Leon did a few practice punches in the air. “This is gonna be easy peasy.” He paused for a second. “Wait, ‘explosion?’”

An eruption of flame answered him, shaking the ground. Chihiro leapt out of the tree, sprinting as soon as his feet hit the ground. “Let’s go!”

The area was filled with smoke and dust, impossible to see through. Just as planned. Chihiro pushed his hands together, sending a pulse of green light through. Vague, stumbling shadows flashed by. Chihiro trained his eyes on one, standing upright, searching around. 

The cleric dashed behind him, swinging his staff as hard as he could at the bandit. The man yelped in surprise, crumpling to the ground.

A blur of red burst through the smoke. “I’ll be taking this!” Leon said, ducking down and yanking the blade out of his hand.

Chihiro saw another shape forming behind Leon, club raised above its head. Chihiro ran towards it, tackling the person to the ground. The bandit tried to wrestle the elf off, but a quick sleeping spell made her arms go limp. 

The moment Chihiro turned his head, he saw Leon complete a drop kick. “Thanks for the save!” The fighter yelled. His eyes widened. “Behind you!”

Chihiro spun back, seeing another heading his way. He dodged the blow, hitting his staff on the back of the enemy’s legs. They stumbled a few steps, ending up right in Leon’s path. The fighter sent a well-placed punch to their jaw. 

Chihiro stood back-to-back with Leon, staff firmly held in front of him. “The smoke’s starting to clear. Can we keep this up much longer?”

A clear voice rang out. “Leon, catch!” Chihiro glanced back, now seeing the knives Leon had been holding were replaced with his old scimitars.

Kiyotaka and Mondo ran through the smoke, fully armored and prepared for battle. “It looks like you two have already begun the battle without us,” Taka noted, surveying the area.

“Well, we sorta had to,” Leon said. “What took so long?” 

Mondo swung his axe right past the fighter’s head, clobbering an enemy. “Fight now, chat later.”

They’d fallen back into their old fighting position, but somehow it felt different. It was quick but synchronized, like a dance. They had each others’ backs. There was more yelling too, as the shouts of “behind you!” or “I’ve got this one!” blended with the yelps of the bandits. 

Chihiro himself, standing behind the others, still did his fair share of fighting and yelling, doing everything he could to push his friends forward. His throat, not to mention the rest of his body, ached like hell, but he wasn’t going to break down now that freedom was so close.

“Chihiro, on your left!” Kiyotaka shouted. Chihiro jumped to the side. The bandit stumbled for a second before hitting the ground. 

The man spun around, raising his knife towards the elf. Something he saw in the cleric’s gaze made his eyes go wide and his hand shake. He clambered to his feet and dashed off, sending panicked glances in his wake. Chihiro watched him go. 

As his footsteps faded into the distance, a quiet settled over the area. “Is… that it?” Mondo asked between breaths.

“It seems so,” Taka wheezed out. “They have either fled… or are on the ground unconscious.”  
  
Leon threw his hands into the air, yelling something about victory. Chihiro couldn't quite make it out. The exhaustion from the night was finally hitting him, and hitting him hard.

Still, as he fell to the ground, a wash of relief fell over him, and he smiled. His friends were safe and sound. That was everything he needed to know.

—————

The sun was already far along its course when Chihiro awoke. He had been placed down underneath a tree, shadows of the leaves dancing across his face. Someone had put a blanket over him. All things considered, this was very comfortable. 

Nonetheless, the sound of chatter encouraged him to get up. He picked up the blanket, rubbing his eyes as he walked to the sound.

“Ah! You’re finally awake!” Kiyotaka exclaimed, jogging over. “You’ve been asleep all day!”

“Really?”  _ Dang, I really was exhausted.  _ “What happened while I was out?” 

“Mostly cleaning up last night’s mess,” Taka said. He put a hand on the elf’s back, guiding him to the campfire. “We tied up the bandits, collected everything that they stole from us, and found some travelers willing to transport the criminals back to the village. I wrote a comprehensive report of last night's events for them, so I’m quite sure this will all be sorted out quickly.” The paladin smiled to himself for a job well done.

“I wish I could have helped out more,” Chihiro said.

Taka patted him on the back. “You have already done more than enough. That sleep was well deserved!”

Mondo and Leon waved them over as they approached. The two of them were all smiles.

“Our savior awakens!” Leon announced, patting the open seat next to him. Chihiro opened his mouth to say hello, but his stomach beat him to it, gurgling loudly. Leon nodded understandingly. “Yes, food. I gotcha.”

The fighter ladled some soup into a bowl as Chihiro sat down. The man handed it to him with a flourish. “Voila! One soup, a la Mondo!”

“From Mondo? Doesn’t Taka usually handle cooking?”

“I know, right!” Kiyotaka exclaimed, throwing his hands up into the air. “I  _ usually _ do!” Leon passed the paladin a bowl, and the man sighed. “However, I am currently banned from cooking duty for the next few days. On account of stress.”

Chihiro smiled. “Well, it’s nice of them to take that weight off your shoulders.” Mondo grinned. Taka pouted.

They faded into a thoughtful silence, quietly sipping their soups and listening to the crackle of the fire. The normal mealtime banter would return the next day, but too much had happened to not appreciate the peacefulness of the moment. 

Chihiro placed his bowl to the side. “There’s something I wanted to tell you guys.”

They all looked up, taking notice of his seriousness. Mondo’s lips quirked up momentarily.

Chihiro stared down into his soup. “It’s something I should have told you a long time ago, but… it’s taken me a long time to work up the nerve to say. Even now... I’m a little unsure of how you’ll react.” He trailed off.

Kiyotaka cleared his throat. “Well… if you are unsure, you don’t need to tell us. Just know we’re here for you no matter what.” 

Chihiro shook his head, laughing softly. “Thank you for giving me an out, but I think this is something I need to do.”

And so, like taking a huge weight off his shoulders, he came clean about everything. He told them about his youth and the insecurities plaguing him, about leaving his home and changing his identity, about his constant cycle of self-hatred and decision to grow out of it. He even went into his secret nightly training with Mondo. Through all of this, Taka and Leon listened attentively, only ever speaking to ask for clarification.

“So, yeah,” Chihiro said, wrapping up. “This is me. The  _ real _ me.” He played with the fabric of his cloak, waiting for some sort of response.

The two men were silent, mulling it over. “So you’ve been going through all this stuff alone?” Leon asked. “Nobody knew?”

“I guess so,” Chihiro said. “I couldn’t tell anyone for years, because I was afraid of how they would react. It was lonely.”

“Well, you don’t have to be alone anymore, right?” Leon said, patting him on the back. “You’ve got us, right?”

“I… honestly expected all of you to be way more shocked by this.” Chihiro looked around at all of them, tilting his head. “Isn’t revealing the fact that I’ve actually been a boy this whole time kind of a big deal?”

Kiyotaka nodded. “It is, definitely. I can’t say for certain that nothing will change from this.” Taka met the elf’s eyes with an earnest gaze. “But nonetheless, you’re still the same Chihiro. You’re still brave, kind-hearted, smart, and an overall wonderful person. Those facts still remain.” The paladin smiled and stood up. “Now… you said you and Owada were training late at night as a way to build up courage to this confession, yes?”

Chihiro tapped his chin. “Yes, but I’d like to continue that. I’d still like to get stronger. Plus, Mondo’s actually a really good trainer.” 

Mondo covered his face with a hand, not fully managing to cover the blush. “I’m not  _ that  _ good. I’m just a guy who knows a thing or two ‘bout being tough.”

Taka crossed his arms. “Very well then.” He spun around and pointed right at Chihiro. “From here on out, we train as a group! Every day immediately after we eat, we will work on personal improvement together!”

Leon scratched the back of his neck. “I dunno if I need to train. I’m pretty cool the way I am now.”

Taka turned on him. “Wrong! You wished to also be skilled at playing your lute, correct? Then you must practice with every fiber of your being! Nothing is achieved without hard work put in!”

Leon laughed sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess I see your point there. Gotta work on that.”

Mondo got to his feet. “Hate to burst your bubble, paladin, but there’s a big-ass hole in that idea.” 

Taka marched up to him. “And what would that be?”

“You ever worked out on a full stomach before? Fuckin’ sucks. I saw a guy vomit after doing it.” Mondo shook his head. “We gotta do it before the meal, got it?”

“Oh, that’s true!” Taka hummed, putting his hands on his hips. “So it’s official: Every day,  _ before _ eating, we will train to be the best versions of ourselves!”

Mondo snorted. “Tch, maybe I’m losing it, but for some reason this kinda sounds fun.” 

And, for the first time in ages, Chihiro truly knew that he belonged. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Notes:  
> \- Badass Chihiro? Badass Chihiro.  
> \- I am a firm believer in letting Chihiro swear. Sure, he’s gentle, but he’s not innocent and there’s nothing stopping him from swearing. That being said, Kiyotaka would never.  
> \- So my sister is an artist, and she actually created some really cool art for the first scene in this arc! https://www.reddit.com/r/danganronpa/comments/ifiio5/heres_some_thh_characters_in_a_fantasy_setting/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	10. The Not-So-Scenic Route Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they take a little detour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aah we have fanart! :D
> 
> @dumb-gan-ron-pa on tumblr (which is high key an awesome username) drew some really amazing fanart of Paladin Taka! [Check it out!](https://dumb-gan-ron-pa.tumblr.com/post/627663366008242176/hrrnnggg-paladin-taka-from-well-go-foreward-and)

Over the last few days, they had made good time. Kiyotaka had resumed his duties as the main chef. It turned out that cooking was one of the things that soothed him most, and going without it drove him a little crazy. Still, when all was said and done, he seemed more relaxed than before.

Actually, all of them were more relaxed. It wasn’t that they were awfully distrustful of each other before, but more that they’d grown closer after the shared adventures. 

Mondo already knew from his days in his tribe that shared memories of adversity brought people together like nothing else. Seeing that idea come alive with these new friends of his made the barbarian feel a little warm. _Damn, I guess I really am growing soft. Gotta work on that._

Kiyotaka cleared his throat. “There is something that we, as a group, must discuss!” The paladin threw down his map, spreading it wide open. “I went around the village market to find information about our course, and there are some points of interest.” Chihiro and Leon leaned over to read it. 

Their faces morphed into expressions that fell between confusion, distress, and disgust. Leon gestured forward angrily. “What did that poor map do to you to deserve that?”

“Deserve what? All I did was mark it up,” Taka said defensively. “Well, I apologize if it’s a little difficult to read. I usually write in a way that’s efficient for me to both read and write, using shorthand.”

“Shorthand I can understand. But… I don’t mean to be rude, but your handwriting is almost illegible.” Chihiro looked genuinely dismayed as he attempted to decipher it. 

“Okay, now it feels like I’m missin’ out on the fun.” Mondo walked around and peered over their heads at the now-defaced sheet. It barely resembled the blank map they had looked at before, all those days ago in the inn. A huge clump of scrawled notes with arrows bulging out sat along the path to Hopesridge. Chihiro wasn’t kidding when he said it was almost impossible to read.

But not completely impossible. Mondo narrowed his eyes, mentally tracing the path until he came across a drawing of a crossroads. He poked the doodle with his finger. “This what you wanted to talk about?”

Kiyotaka gaped at him. “Actually, that is _exactly_ what I wanted to point out.” 

Chihiro and Leon looked similarly stunned. Mondo shrugged at them, picking up the map. “I s’pose when it comes to shitty handwriting, it takes one to know one.” 

He glanced at the little blurb of notes next to the drawing. “Lemme see here… it says…” Mondo straightened his posture. As he read, he raised both the pitch and volume of his voice to sound as paladin-ly as possible. “Shortcut through mines! Minus two days! Risky yet efficient!”

Kiyotaka blinked at him. “I know I should be more offended by your imitation of my speech patterns, but I’m more surprised that you’re able to read my handwriting with such ease.” 

Leon snatched the map out of his hand, attempting to read over the bubble before quickly giving up. “Nope, can’t do it. No clue how you got words from that chicken scratch.”

The paladin calmly took the map from Leon. “But that’s besides the point. As Owada pointed out, there is a choice we can make.” He pointed a finger further down the path. “Ahead of us, there is a mountain, and we have two choices to get past it.” 

He traced along the path that took a curve at the crossroads. “The first choice is to take the merchant road around the mountain. It’s a safe and simple path, plus there will be plenty of other people along that stretch.”

“What about choice two?”

Taka drew a line straight forward from the path. “That’s the mountain pass. There was a large mine here at one point, but it was abandoned and blocked off very suddenly a bit ago.”

“That sounds suspicious,” Chihiro piped in, “Yet, kind of interesting.”

“Yes, but the point is that there’s a shortcut through the mountain. There is a fair amount of risk, but we can cut off a lot of time if we take it.”

“So what you’re saying is we get a choice between the safe regular road and the mysterious mine road that’s a few days shorter?” Leon asked.

“If you want to put it that way, yes.” Taka clapped his hands together. “Alright! If you would like to go with the path _around_ the mountain, raise your hand!”

Nothing.

“Okay… for the mine pass?”

All four raised their hands. 

Taka chuckled. “Well, this proves none of us prioritize safety over efficiency.”

“Psh, why take the easy road when we’re this cool? It’s just a cave.” Leon shrugged. “Plus, I wanna get to Hopesridge ASAP. Got some business to do there.”

Chihiro smiled. He was so much more confident than before. Mondo couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. “We’ve taken on bandits, a crazy wizard, goblins, and a weird magical bear thing. What’s a mine going to do?” 

Mondo twisted his head around, feeling the pop of the joints in his neck. “So what the hell’re we waiting for? Let’s get to it.”

What could go wrong?

—————

At one point along the path, one of the tunnel walls opened up to reveal a huge cavern, and the path continued, clinging to the outer edge of it. At one point, Kiyotaka dared to peek over the side, staring down, down into the depths below. It was amazing how systematic the mines were, with tunnels snaking into the walls, long-abandoned minecart tracks stretching above the darkness, and small glimpses of the fading sunlight peeking in through cracks in the ceiling. This amazement lasted only a moment, as a logical fear of falling yanked him back from the edge.

At the halfway point of their trek, Kiyotaka realized he’d made a major miscalculation. More accurately, he had forgotten to take the time of day into account when predicting travel time. Optimally, they would have crossed the cave in half a day and made it to Hopesridge by nightfall. However, he hadn’t had the foresight to set up camp a little early outside of the cave. Thus, nighttime was already starting to fall, and they were still inside.

He briefly considered encouraging them to push through to the finish, but recently everyone had been so focused on his well-being. He knew he didn’t take the best care of himself, as others’ needs took priority, but having people notice him doing that had its faults. For one, he probably wouldn’t be able to hide his own exhaustion for long.

The next time he found a reasonably wide and flat patch of ground, he suggested they settle down for the night. They agreed. 

For some reason, Kiyotaka couldn’t shake his nerves as he attempted to place his sleeping bag. Every place he put it seemed too steep or too close to the edge, and he kept imagining himself rolling off in his sleep.

A deep chuckle resonated from behind him. “Nervous, paladin?” 

“I am _not_ nervous.”

“I’ve been watchin’ you try to place that thing for the last fifteen minutes. Started feeling bad after the third time you moved it.” Mondo tilted his head. “I dunno what you’re even worrying about. Y’seem like the kinda guy to sleep still as a soldier.”

“Someone who snores as loudly as you do is in no position to judge sleeping habits.”

Kiyotaka scanned for where Mondo had put his own bag, then felt his eyes almost bulge out of his head. “You must have a deathwish to put yours that close to the edge!” He yelled, pointing at it accusingly.

“Psh.” Mondo rolled his eyes. “Did ya think this was my first time sleeping in a place like this?” He stood, walking off. Kiyotaka assumed this was where the conversation ended. He turned his back, preparing to relocate his bag once more. 

For a moment, he let himself zone out; a move he quickly regretted, as a loud _THUNK_ right behind him sent him jumping a foot in the air.

Mondo had dropped a large (and very heavy) rock between the paladin and the edge of the cliff. “If ya roll, ya roll right into the rock right here. It’ll stop you from going off the edge. You don’t break every bone in your body, I don’t havta watch you keep panicking. Problem solved.”

 _That… was actually a really good solution._ Taka tried to get a look at Mondo, but the man had already started getting into his own sleeping bag.

He started to remove his armor. A small, petty part of him didn’t want to give the barbarian too much to be proud of, but one has to give credit where credit is due. “That was very kind of you.”

“Nah, it’s nothin’. I used to roll around a fuck ton when I was younger, so my bro always had a rock placed on each cliff we slept on. Just in case.”

“You’ve mentioned your brother a few times, but never by name,” Chihiro said. Taka looked around, seeing Chihiro and Leon already laying in their bags, ready to sleep. He hadn’t realized they were listening. Then again, they were too close _not_ to overhear everything being said.

“I never said it before, huh?” Mondo rested his hands behind his head. “His name’s Daiya. Daiya Owada. Think of me, but taller with black hair and a lot more coolness. Whatever you’re thinking, that’s how he looks.” 

Kiyotaka had fully removed his armor, and silently slipped into his sleeping bag. 

“And you two were close?” Chihiro asked, propping his head up in his hands.

“Close as could be. He kinda was the only family I had for a while. He taught me everything I know. When we found the tribe, he gained everyone’s respect super quickly. Everyone loved him.” Mondo paused for a moment, then continued with a smile in his voice. “I was a little shit, of course. I could go for hours with all the trouble he barely bailed me out of. Still, he always believed in me. Dunno why. He was just a forgiving guy.”

“Man, he sounds cool,” Leon said. “You’d better introduce him to us sometime, right?”

“Oh.” Mondo deflated. “He’s... uh, not around anymore. Gone a few years ago.”

Chihiro gasped. “Mondo, I’m so sorry…”

“You didn’t mean anything by it,” He reassured, waving a hand. “Besides, it doesn’t help anyone to be sad for so long. You gotta remember the good times. That’s what he woulda wanted, anyways.”

Mondo stretched, yawning loudly. “And he also woulda told us to get the fuck to sleep.”

“Oh, right!” Taka quickly extinguished his torch, leaving the cave in darkness. “We should be rising early in the morning, so sleep well while you can!”

“Goodnight, Taka.”

“Night!”

“Yeah, night, paladin.”

—————

It began with a low rumble, barely audible. Deep, distant, but a rumble nonetheless. Mondo sat up, immediately alert. Both Chihiro and Leon were blinking awake, but Kiyotaka was already on his feet with a torch lit.

“Owada, what’s going on? Do we need to relocate?” Kiyotaka was picking up his bag now. A colony of bats began to swarm above their heads, a chorus of screeches reverberating through the cavern. The rumble sounded again, louder. 

“Shit,” Mondo hissed, his flight instinct kicking in. He shoved everything he had into his bag. “Forget relocating, we need to fucking run. Right now.” He threw Chihiro’s bag at the cleric’s arms, then did the same to Leon. They caught them, rising to their feet. 

From back down the path, the cacophony of a rockslide sounded. Mondo screamed at them to go. Nobody had to think twice.

There was no time for putting on armor. No time for organization. No time for careful steps. Only sprinting, holding your things in your arms as everything crumbled around you. 

Mondo was holding the rear, pushing everyone forward. He kept yelling at them to keep running, to get to safety, to watch their damn steps.

He couldn’t quite say what made him stumble. He couldn’t stop his feet from falling out of rhythm, his things falling from his hands and the surprised shout falling from his mouth. 

Ahead of him, Kiyotaka had spun around. To Mondo’s dismay, the paladin had dropped his things and was running back, arm extended, yelling something indistinct. _Goddamnit, ya moron. You’re s’posed to save yourself. Why’re ya coming for me?_

The barbarian tried to rise to his feet, but the stone was already collapsing beneath him, shaking and crumbling and cracking. _Is this it?_

“Mondo!”

He shut his eyes as the ground fell out from under his feet. And down, down, down he went, deep into the abyss.

—————

Mondo Owada didn’t know how his death would go, but he’d figured it would end something like this. With the lingering light fading into darkness and shots of intense pain searing through his bones as his body slammed against the rocks. 

Then, a sense of relief. The broken bone feeling vanished, but he still felt battered. He wondered if he was gonna see a bright light any moment now, or if (more likely) the flames of hell would start to sear him. 

Instead, he felt the weight roll off him. Literally. He inhaled a deep breath of the still-settling dust and began to cough. 

Beside him, someone else was coughing. It was pitch black around them, but that voice was too easy to recognize.

“...paladin?”

A hand fell on Mondo’s shoulder. “Are you okay? Are you healed? I’m sorry if you are still in pain, I could only fix so many of the wounds before exhausting my abilities.”

“I’m… I’m fine. Bruised, but alive.” He felt around the darkness before his own hand rested on Kiyotaka’s shoulder. It wasn’t much, but somehow the contact helped him orient himself.

Thankfully, the rumbling had stopped. Far above them, Chihiro and Leon were desperately yelling their names.

Mondo cupped his mouth with his hand. “We’re okay!” he yelled.

There was a moment of silence as the echo faded. Mondo could almost feel the relief resonating from the two of them. 

“Stay where you are, we’ll go down and find you!” Leon’s voice shouted.

Kiyotaka too cupped his mouth. “No! Keep going and meet us outside the exit!”

“Yeah,” Mondo added. “We’ll get up there fine! I promise! Just make it out safely!”

Another pause. Probably them discussing it amongst themselves. 

“Are you sure?” Chihiro shouted. “All your things are up here! Can you make it without them?”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us! Take it with you!”

“Owada, are you sure about this?” Kiyotaka asked, turning to him.

“We’ve got survival instincts, we’ll make it no matter what. Plus, if they’d drop it down, who knows where it’ll fall?” 

Mondo also couldn’t shake the thought of leaving his axe and coat abandoned in the cave as treasure to be looted. He kept that part unspoken, though; after all, he promised to stay alive, didn’t he?

“Okay! We’ll meet you up there!” Chihiro yelled.

“See you then! Stay safe!” Kiyotaka replied.

The distant echo of footsteps, and the other two were gone. And now, Taka and Mondo were left with a more immediate problem: the complete darkness they were in.

“Erm, Owada, you wouldn’t have happened to have fallen with a torch on hand, would you?”

“What? No. Can’t you just magic up light or somethin’? Chihiro did that, didn’t he?”

Kiyotaka scooted back, and Mondo heard him shift into a more comfortable sitting position. “I don’t have the same spell repertoire as Chihiro, but I can still try.”

Mondo sat cross-legged across from where he estimated Kiyotaka was. “Anything I can do?” 

“Be quiet and wait patiently. This requires focus.”

Mondo waited. And waited. And started to fidget. Sitting quietly and patiently was not an easy task for the barbarian. He wanted to get a move on ASAP, but of course he couldn’t if there was no light. He put his head in his hand and tried his best not to groan.

Just as he began to consider pestering Taka to hurry up, a light flickered to life in front of him. It emanated from the pendant on the paladin’s chest, basking him in a cool, white light. He had his eyes shut tightly, hands pressed together.

Now that Mondo could see him clearly, it struck him how Kiyotaka looked right now. Bruises dotted his skin, making him look as busted-up as Mondo felt. Plus, Mondo had never stopped to look at him without his armor on. His silhouette had lost a lot of its normal grandeur without the huge plates of metal. Beneath it all, he was lean, but not scrawny. His plain white shirt and brown pants were well-fitting, but not revealing. He looked a lot more human now, but still perfectly, well, Taka.

“Holy shit, your pendant’s glowing,” Mondo said. Kiyotaka's eyes snapped open, landing on Mondo for a moment. He lifted the pendant to his eyes, and broke into a proud grin.

“It worked!” Taka tapped the pendant with his finger, seeing that yes, it was still glowing. “I can’t deny that I wasn’t positive that I could cast this successfully, but it seems I can! I learned a new spell!”

“So it wasn’t just glowing outta nowhere?”

“No. I knew of a spell that turns a small object into a light source, glowing a color of the caster’s choosing, for a few hours. For our current situation, this was a perfect choice.” The paladin stood, as did Mondo. “Shall we get moving, then?”

—————

There wasn’t much to talk about. Or rather, neither of them knew what to say. It wasn’t too hard to pick up the right direction to walk in; all they had to do was follow the minecart rails. The silence wasn’t quite awkward. It was more thoughtful. Each footstep reverberated through the tunnel, accompanied by the sound of a river somewhere else.

Mondo found himself glancing over at his traveling partner a lot. _Well, ‘course I am, there’s nothing else to look at._ They were walking side-by-side, which gave Mondo a better view of Kiyotaka’s profile. There was something about the way the shadows curved around his face that Mondo found striking. The contrast of the pale light, his pale skin versus the all-consuming darkness.

This wasn’t the first time Mondo had seen Taka this way. His mind jumped back to a few days before, being captured by the bandits. Both Mondo and Leon had tried to fight and lost miserably, but were conscious enough by the time they were thrown in the wagon. At the time, it was more of a confusing inconvenience than a crisis. 

That had changed when the door opened once more, and an unconscious paladin was thrown in with them. For an instant, moonlight outlined his features. Then the door slammed shut.

Leon had sarcastically made a joke, probably trying to lighten up the situation, but Taka said nothing. 

_Taka? You alive over there?_ Leon had asked, nervously laughing. Once again, no reply. _C’mon, man, speak up. This isn’t funny. Say something!_

In hindsight, Mondo knew everything was fine, Taka was alive, and they were just overreacting. In the moment, though, the fear was creeping in. The fear that inside that wagon, there were two men and the corpse of their friend.

Leon was quick to go into panic mode, kicking Taka’s body and crying out for him to wake up, but Mondo… Mondo had felt numb. All he could think about was how Taka probably died hating his guts. Hell, it was all because of his own stupidity, wasn’t it? 

He’d have laughed at the situation if it hadn’t hurt so much. _Imagine that? As soon as you start giving a shit about him, you end up being responsible for his death. Maybe he was right about you._

—————

Mondo had been staring at Kiyotaka for a while, and he hadn’t the slightest clue why. 

He cleared his throat, breaking the long held silence. “Erm, Owada?”

The other man jumped, yanking his eyes down. “Uh, yeah? Need somethin’?”

“I was going to ask you the same, actually.” Taka fidgeted with his shirt. “You looked somewhat concerned. I was wondering if there was something you needed from me.”

Mondo blinked at him, before turning away. “Nope, I’m fine. You’re too much of a worrier.”

The paladin bit his lip. He would consider the possibility of him seeing things falsely, but Mondo was definitely staring at him for some reason. Furthermore, he was definitely frowning about something. Kiyotaka worried his lip in his teeth, pondering what could possibly have Mondo so worried. 

Suddenly, a light went off in his head, and he snapped his fingers. “Ah! I know!”

Mondo squinted at him. Kiyotaka clutched the glowing pendant in his hand, furiously willing it to grow brighter. 

He slowly opened his eyes. The white light had almost doubled in size. Each detail in the walls and on the ground became clearer, and it was nice to see more than two feet ahead of where he stood. “Is this better?”

Mondo looked around. “Actually… yeah, it is. Thanks.”

“I’m glad to be of service!” Taka said, proud of a job well done.

They had only gone a few steps when Mondo spoke up again. “Wait, hold on a sec.” Kiyotaka cocked his head. “Yer telling me that you could have chosen any color you wanted for that light and you went with white?” Mondo chuckled. “That’s both super lame and super in-character for you.”

The paladin crossed his arms, smiling. “Of course I chose white. It’s a wonderful color for a multitude of reasons.”

Distantly, the cave rumbled, making Kiyotaka look back over his shoulder. Mondo pushed onward. “Am I gonna hear any of those reasons, or are ya just making that up on the spot?”

The rumbling subsided, and Taka looked forwards again. “First of all, white is the color of purity and simplicity, which are two traits I value.”

Mondo gave him a look. “No shit.”

“It is also the direct opposite to darkness. When all other colors of light come together, it creates white.” The paladin put a hand over his heart. “I have dedicated myself to the cause of fighting the darkness in this world, so I thought it fitting that I choose white.”

“Sounds like you thought about this too much.”

“This is basic color theory, Owada.” They rounded the corner. Taka turned to look at Mondo. “Now, if you were so prepared to criticize my simple color choice for my magic, I can’t help but wonder what you’d choose.”

Mondo smirked. “Psh, I’m a grown ass adult. I don’t have a favorite color.”

Taka’s smile broadened as he thought some more. “Your outfit mainly consists of blacks and browns, but those don’t bode well for illumination, do they?”

“Hey, I look badass in that coat.” Well, Taka couldn’t deny that much, but it wasn’t like he’d admit that aloud. “And just so ya know, you’re not the only one who can brag about wearin’ white.”

Taka raised an eyebrow. Mondo shrugged. “Back up north, the tribe leader always wore the same white coat. Think the one I have, but white.”

Taka still couldn’t picture Mondo adorned in white. Suddenly, he stopped short. “Wait, are you saying you were the _leader_ of your tribe at one point?”

“For a few years, yeah.” Mondo scratched the back of his neck. “I know I told Chi, but I must not’ve told you, huh?”

“It’s… difficult to imagine you in a leadership position.”

Mondo waved a hand. “Oh, believe me, you don’t gotta worry about me takin’ your spot as leader for us four. You’re prolly more organized than I’ll ever be. But back there, ‘leadership’ meant yelling the battle cry and bein’ able to beat all the other guys in a fight.”

 _Ah_. That was very different from the leadership Taka knew. “That sounds… intense.”

“Eh, it was worth it. There ain’t no feeling like those winter winds, that’s for sure.” Mondo smiled. “And that tribe’s like a family. Bein’ able to take care of em is more than worth the yelling and fighting.”

“Why did you leave?”

Mondo paused. Kiyotaka realized that question was probably too intrusive, but Mondo answered nonetheless.“I… needed t’figure out some things.” That was... vague. “Y’know, that white coat didn’t really work on me. Too bright. That’s why I wear the black one.”

He stopped walking. Taka turned around, tilting his head at him. “How ‘bout I promise ya something? When we both get outta here and get our shit back, I’m gonna show you my coat.”

“I have already seen your coat, though.”

Mondo shook his head. “Nah, but you’ve never really _seen_ it. Ya know how there’s a bunch of monsters sewed in on the back of the coat? Well, every single one of ‘em has a story behind it. A battle, a victory, ya know the way it goes.”

“Really?” Taka’s eyes widened. He wanted to ask Mondo to tell him more, but he reigned himself in. He had to play it cool. “That’s… interesting.”

Mondo’s smile looked a little too smug. The paladin realized he probably didn’t succeed at hiding his curiosity. “It might be fun.”

Taka glanced over and happened to meet Mondo’s eyes. The man didn’t divert his gaze, but also didn’t hold his gaze with any defiance like he often did. 

It occurred to Taka that Mondo’s color would either be gold or a light purple. Gold, to match the bold accents that he had on his coat and axe. Or purple, to match the gentle lavender of his eyes. Mondo would probably get standoffish if he mentioned the latter, but Taka couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a kindness beneath Mondo’s rough exterior.

—————

“Wait, I think I see something down there.”

Kiyotaka held a hand up, feet pausing mid-step as he looked down into one of the tunnels. He lifted the pendant from around his neck and held it in front of him. 

Mondo stood watching as Kiyotaka started moving down the side path. The other man turned around and beckoned Mondo to go with him. He obliged, glancing back to the main path as he jogged down.

“I thought I saw some peculiar rock formations down here, and wished to investigate,” Taka explained. Mondo glanced around and immediately saw what he was referring to. Stone spikes jutted out unevenly, traveling along the side of the wall. “You appear to be more knowledgeable about what happens in tunnels of this sort. Is this sort of occurrence normal?”

Mondo ran his hand along one of the spikes. _Smooth, but coming to a sharp point._ “No, it isn’t. I dunno much about it, but it looks like some sorta magic.” The paladin frowned, taking a small step closer to Mondo. 

They inched down the path, trying not to move too close to the walls. Mondo didn’t know whether it was because of the tunnel getting smaller or the spikes drawing them towards the middle, but the two of them were walking a little too close to each other. 

“We should start moving back to the main path soon,” Taka urged.

“Are you nervous?”

“I miss my shield. I feel very exposed without it.”

Mondo nudged him with his shoulder gently. Taka looked a bit startled by that, but Mondo laughed. “You’re gonna be fine, paladin.”

Taka kept staring at him, surprised. Mondo didn’t really know why, so he turned his face forwards. It’s lucky that he did, as his eye caught something right in the other man’s path. He hastily pulled the other man back, as to not let him trip over it.

“Paladin, watch where you’re— oh shit.” He looked down at what Taka had almost tripped over.

 _Yup, that’s definitely a skull_. In fact, the whole skeleton was there, laying facedown, arms sprawled in front of it. A stone spike jutted out of the ground, piercing right through the ribcage. Ahead of them, another skeleton sat slumped against the wall, similarly impaled.

“This must be why the mines were abandoned,” Taka mused nervously. “We should go.”

“No argument here.” They shuffled their way back up the slope until they reached the main tunnel. 

“Hey, paladin, before we keep going…” Mondo started. The other man turned to him, sending over a steady look that made him falter. “Well, uh, now that we know there’s actual, y’know, danger here…” he scratched the back of his neck. “I jus’ wanted to tell you that I’ve got yer back. If it comes down to it.”

Taka’s gaze softened, and he nodded solemnly. “I’ll have your back too. Let’s keep each other alive, shall we?”

—————

Time faded out of focus, as it tends to do when there’s no sunlight to keep track of it. Hours passed them by without comment, other than the occasional shifting of the mines. 

Then, little bits of conversation began to sprout. Nothing much. Only little comments on their situation, or on anything in general. Sometimes little jabs at each other, which was nice to break the monotony.

They came upon a small nook in the stone surface of the wall. The curve of it was too precise to be a natural occurrence, and upon closer inspection a few abandoned trinkets laid on the ground. One of which was a simple map of the cave. Kiyotaka rushed to it, immediately scanning for possible routes out. 

Mondo sat back against one of the rocks. “Oy, paladin, ya don’t need to hunch over that. Sit down, relax a bit.” Taka looked up with a smile, rolled up the map and sat down across from him. His eyelids were starting to droop, and his head was starting to drift forward.

“Must be nighttime out there,” Mondo mused. He extended a hand. “Here, hand over the light. Lay down, get some sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

Taka sat up quickly. “A-are you sure? You don’t have to do that.”

“Nah, we’ve been walking all day, so ya gotta get your rest. Plus, I’m a natural night owl. I’m used to stayin’ up.” Kiyotaka handed him the pendant and laid down, resting his head on his arm. 

“G’night, paladin.”

Taka said nothing, but Mondo had the feeling that something was bothering him. “Okay, what’re you thinking about?”

“You keep calling me that. Paladin.” Mondo heard him roll to the side. “I can’t quite figure out why.”

“I dunno, it’s the first thing I remembered about you.” His mind jumped back to the moment they’d met. He remembered the paladin-ness, sure, but it was the strength in his voice, the fire in his bright red eyes that left the strongest impression. But the lawfulness stuck with him too, so he kept his answer as it was.

Kiyotaka shifted. “Do you… have something against paladins?”

Mondo paused, mulling the question over. It made sense that he’d ask that, since Mondo always used the word like it was an insult. As it turned out, he wasn’t actually sure of the answer. “It’s not a personal grudge or anything. Jus’ never understood people like that.”

“People like me?”

“Yeah.”

Kiyotaka went quiet. Mondo turned his head, checking if he’d fallen asleep. He hadn’t; he was just staring at the ceiling. Hastily, Mondo looked away, trying not to get caught staring. After a long pause, Taka cleared his throat.

“You know, being a paladin is actually a very simple process. Anyone can be one if they so desire.”

 _Where’s this coming from?_ Mondo briefly considered ordering Taka to go to sleep, but shot down the idea. _I guess it wouldn’t hurt to humor him a little._ “So your sayin’ if I wanted, I could join the little paladin club?”

“Maybe.” Taka chuckled. It was a lot more subdued than his normal laugh, which was usually loud and exaggerated. Mondo found the sound nice. “Forgive my bluntness, but I don’t think you’re quite what Tyr is looking for. Still, contrary to popular belief, there’s really only one thing needed to become a paladin. All you need is an oath.”

“Whadda ya mean, ‘oath?’” _Why the fuck am I asking this? I don’t care._

“It’s a simple pact of loyalty. Our immense belief in it is what gives us power. Most, like myself, are loyal to gods. I’ve heard of paladins with oaths to their kingdoms, or oaths to their families.”

“So, you’re sayin’ it’s just being really, really loyal to something.” 

“Yes, actually. See? Simple.”

“Huh. I s’pose bein’ a paladin ain’t so bad.” Mondo yawned, stretching out. “Still, I’ll stick to the ol’ axe, if ya don’t mind.”

“I wouldn’t blame you. As simple as the process is, it’s quite taxing to uphold that level of dedication! I told you all this since you mentioned you knew very little about it, and increasing your worldly knowledge is important!”

“Well, Mr ‘Worldly Knowledge,’ now I gotta make it even and teach ya more about barbarian life.”

“Is that a joke or a serious request?” Kiyotaka asked innocently.

Mondo backpedaled. It was said as a joke, but if Taka was willing to learn, he certainly wasn’t averse to the idea. In fact, he found the idea more pleasant than he probably should have.

“It’s, uhh, whatever ya want it t’ be,” he said. Kiyotaka hummed, but didn’t press the issue. 

He cleared his throat. “You should sleep, for real now.“

Taka nodded with the slightest touch of hesitance. “Right. Goodnight, Mondo.”

“Night, Taka.”

—————

“Usually, it’s the tight spaces that gets ‘em.”

“Really? You don’t think it’s the darkness that drives people crazy?”

“Maybe, but if ya got a torch or somethin’, there’s nothing to worry about.” Mondo shrugged. “We’re actually lucky we’re in a mine, cuz at least we know there’s a way out. D’ya know how many stories there are about people gettin’ trapped in caves and losing it? A fuck ton.”

Taka shuddered. “That sounds unpleasant.”

 _Clatter, clatter._ Suddenly, the barbarian froze. He put a hand up, gesturing for Taka to stop. For a moment, they froze, listening to the sound of small rocks clattering on the stone ground. To Mondo’s dismay, the high-pitched rattle was followed by a much deeper rumble as the ground began to shake.

“ _Are you fucking kidding me?!_ ” Mondo yelled, throwing his arms in the air. “Can’t we catch a goddamn break?!”

The ground lurched, as if in response. The two of them stumbled forward, following the tunnel around every bend. It was funny, how similar it seemed to the time before. This time there were no bags, no torches, no other friends to worry about. Just the two of them and their little white light casting jagged shadows on the cave around them. 

They turned a corner, panting. Taka leaned against the stone wall. “When… does this shaking… stop?” He wheezed. 

“C’mon, paladin… we gotta keep moving,” Mondo said. 

Before he could turn and run forward, a fracture began to grow from behind them. It darted along the wall, leaving cracks in its wake. The floor underneath Taka shifted.

For a moment, his eyes met Mondo’s. Red eyes of realization, panic and dread. The cracks split open, and Taka was falling. Mondo felt his stomach twist. Something screamed that he couldn’t let this happen. _Not now!_

And then, Mondo grabbed onto Taka’s wrist. It was a delicate balance, with one man suspended in the open air and the other on his stomach, halfway off the edge. The barbarian was hanging on for dear life, his foot hooked on a chunk of stone. He didn’t know how long it would hold. The paladin’s fingers fumbled, then clasped his wrist.

“M-Mondo!” Taka cried, legs swinging in the open air.

“I’ve got you, I swear I’ve got you.” Mondo said. He reached out for the edge with his open hand, barely clasping onto the smooth stone. He clenched his teeth, attempting to pull the other man up.

Another rumble, and a cloud of dust fell around them, with the impact echoing up from below. Taka turned to look down, then stared him in the eyes, suddenly becoming calm. “Mondo, you can’t hold me forever. If you try to pull me up, we’ll both go down.” The paladin’s fingers loosened their grip. “You need to let me go.”

“I’ll… I’ll pull you up!” He tried yanking back, with no success. Thoughts were storming in his head, clouding his vision. His hands had become slick with sweat. “Dammit paladin, hold onto me…”

A small head shake. “You’re being irrational. The fall isn’t that deep. We can figure something out if you’re up here. If you hold on, with one more tremor you’ll lose your balance.” The man’s fingers unlatched from Mondo’s wrist entirely. 

“I’m not gonna leave you, okay? I’m not gonna let that happen.”

Taka’s hand began to slip. “Owada. Let go.” 

“ _I won’t, goddamnit!_ ” His desperation took hold, making his voice crack. “I can’t let you fall!”

Another cloud of dust came down on them, and the world began to move in slow motion. Taka took in a shaky breath. Mondo was losing his grip; he knew he couldn’t hold on much longer. Still, he gritted his teeth and stared down. Taka met his gaze with an unspoken determination.

Slowly, time began to move again as Taka slipped. There wasn’t time to think or process anymore. Only instincts and feelings, flashes of emotions he could barely comprehend. Then again, the choice was already clear to him, wasn’t it?

Just as Taka’s fingers were losing contact with his hand, Mondo threw his other arm off the wall, grabbing on with all his might. Immediately, the man’s eyes grew wide. 

Maybe it was his sudden shift in movement, or maybe it was the mine’s constant jittering that did it, but the next thing Mondo knew, his foot had lost hold. His hand lost contact with Taka as they tumbled down into the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story Notes:  
> \- This arc was originally drafted to be a lot more like the sauna scene, but it slowly drifted away from that as I was writing it. It’s still a sauna-equivalent, but I figured it was better to have a little more of those ~slow burn~ elements.  
> \- Yeah, Chihiro and Leon don’t do a ton this time around. They’re mostly chilling outside of the cave. Though, I‘m considering writing a small bonus chapter showing them chilling over there.
> 
> Updates on Thursdays!


	11. The Not-So-Scenic Route Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an unbreakable bond is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's me again. Yup, this chapter is very very late. It was kinda stressing me out, then school started and clobbered me on the head, which was fun. But I'm back and we're all good!

Mondo slammed into two walls before rolling to a stop. He groaned, attempting to get up. _Fuck, that hurts._ Still, nothing seemed broken, which was a big improvement from the last fall. He wondered if his body was stained black and blue from all the bruising.

A few feet away, Kiyotaka was similarly starting to sit up. Mondo scooted towards him and helped him upright. It didn’t look like he’d suffered any major injuries. _Good._

Taka pulled his arm away, massaging his wrist. “You shouldn’t have kept holding on to me. I told you we’d both fall if you did, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Mondo took a deep breath. “Look, both of us got out fine, yeah? That’s what’s important.”

The other man rose to his feet, holding up his pendant. It illuminated the small space they were in. The area was only a few feet wide, with no visible exits.

“This’ll all work out. I mean, we’ve fallen down before, and we got outta that alive,” Mondo said.

“We would have, but unfortunately, now _both_ of us are stuck down here,” Taka retorted, feeling the walls. 

Mondo frowned, leaning back. “We don’t need to panic yet. As long as we go at it together, it’s all under control. We’ve got plenty... of... time…” He trailed off, staring down at his feet. His boots were wet. Not just wet, they had a small puddle forming around them. 

He hastily stepped back and looked at the wall. By this point, Taka had noticed and stood by him, following his gaze. On the ground was a small hole, water streaming out of it at a slightly concerning rate. It had begun to pool on the ground. 

Mondo gritted his teeth. “Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.” 

Taka was intensely silent for a few moments, staring daggers at the hole. Then he let out a shaky exhale. “You know what? You were correct. We… we cannot just panic… right? We’ll work out a solution!”

“Yeah… yeah, we can do that.” At this point, both of their voices sounded more like they were reassuring themselves, but Mondo shoved that thought aside. _We’ll get outta here. Just as long as we can keep cool._

——————

The water had reached about halfway up their boots.

“C’mon… is it working? At least tell me it’s slowin’ down.”

Kiyotaka felt the hole, checking the flow of the water. “...no, I don’t think it is.” He sighed. The plan was to use Taka’s padded shirt to block the hole. They’d made no progress and now his shirt was soaked through. It didn’t help that he’d been kneeling long enough for his pants to get wet too. The water was colder than he’d anticipated.

“Hold on, lemme put my shirt in too,” Mondo suggested, pulling it off and cramming it in. When he thought it was secure, he stepped back. The steam of water stopped. They looked at each other with bated breath, before relieved smiles crept onto their faces.

Then their shirts splatted onto the ground, and the flow continued stronger than before. Mondo yelled a curse, clutching his hair angrily. “We shoulda had it, dammit!”

Taka’s shoulders dropped, and he picked up his shirt, ashamed. “I really thought we‘d done it,” he said to himself. _Well, back to the drawing board._

——————

It was almost remarkable how time could move so fast and so slowly at the same time. It had felt like ages since they’d first fallen, yet it also felt like time was breathing down their necks. The water had risen past the top of their boots. The constant trickle was getting on their nerves.

Taka had started pacing the small space, anxiety radiating off of him. Mondo leaned against the wall nearest to the hole, drumming his fingers on his arm. They had been throwing ideas at the wall and so far none had stuck.

All of a sudden, Taka snapped his fingers. “Wait! I have an idea to get us out of here! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before!” 

He moved to the other side, staring up at the hole above them that they’d fallen through. “It’s too tall for us to reach, but maybe we could wait for the water to _lift_ us back up!” His eyes lit up. “We could tread water, and it will eventually fill to the point where we could simply climb out!”

Mondo gave him a long look, genuinely considering if silence would be a good response to keep Taka’s hope in check. “That… _woulda_ been a good plan,” he said slowly, hoping it would ease into the bad news.

Taka’s shoulders dropped. “But…?”

“But I can’t swim,” Mondo finished. 

Taka made a loud, exasperated noise.

“Well, so-rry!” Mondo yelled defensively. “It ain’t like I ever needed it before! How was I s’posed to know I was gonna need swimming?”

“It is fine,” the other man replied through clenched teeth. “We’ll figure out another solution. We need to.”

——————

The water had risen to their knees, and Taka was beginning to understand the true meaning of claustrophobia. How long had they been in there? It felt like days, or maybe months. He’d given up pacing and was leaning against the wall.

Mondo has started cycling through curses under his breath. He’d begun with “dammit,” then switched to “shit,” then gone to “fuck.”

When he returned to repeating “shit” over and over and over, Kiyotaka decided he needed to speak up. “Would you stop that? I can’t think with your swearing.”

Mondo stopped. “Fine. Sorry. Force of habit.” The silence only cleared the way for the echo of the water. “Well, d’ya have any new ideas, at least?” It sounded more desperate than curious. 

In truth, Taka had given up on solutions a while ago. The logical thoughts had been stifled by the panicked realization that maybe they weren’t going to get out of this alive.

“I wonder how Chihiro and Leon are doing now,” he thought aloud. “They must have gotten out alright.”

“Damn, I hope they didn’t go and forget to train without us.” 

“They wouldn’t, I know it.” Taka smiled fondly. “Chihiro’s determination to get stronger goes far beyond our encouragement. And he won’t let Leon slack off.”

“True. They’re prolly doin’ just fine up there.” Mondo smiled too.

The fondness only lingered a moment. Taka’s smile faded. “They are waiting for us.” 

Mondo didn’t reply.

—————

When people are trapped in a small, tense space for a long period of time, they tend to lose it. Sometimes the desperation is caused by the cramped-in feeling, or by the lack of stimulation, or by the fear that they might never see the light of day again. 

Mondo just assumed that he’d be the one to snap.

The room was filled up to their thighs when Taka started crying. Mondo barely noticed at first, since the man had covered his face with his hands. It was the shaking of his shoulders that tipped him off.

“Woah, fuck, are you alright?”

“We’re… we’re going to die here, won’t we?” Taka’s voice quavered like hell. “We’re going to die cold and wet and alone.”

“Hey, don’t say that…” Mondo started wading towards him.

“I always thought I’d die in a noble way, not like this.” His voice became high and cracked. “God, there was so much I needed to do. Do you think our friends will remember me fondly? I don’t want to go without a goodbye!”

“Taka, calm down.” Mondo had nearly reached Kiyotaka, and extended an arm. 

“Hey! Don’t try to touch me!” He cried, slapping the other man’s arm away. In those red eyes, there was a coldness Mondo had never seen before. “This is all… this wouldn’t have happened without your foolish actions!”

Mondo lowered his arm. Kiyotaka narrowed his eyes, pressing. “All you needed to do was let go, and you didn’t. This could have worked out, but it didn’t.”

“I… I didn’t wanna let you fall! I wasn’t thinking, because—“

“Exactly. You couldn’t think it through. Your impulsiveness brought us down here, didn’t it?”

Mondo clenched his jaw. “Well aren’t you a hypocrite? Ya blame me for falling along with you, when you did the exact goddamn thing at the start of all this.”

“That was different,” Taka seethed. “You would have bled out if I didn’t heal you then. I saved your life!”

“But ya weren’t thinkin’ that. I saw you. You saw me trip and dropped everything you had.” Mondo crossed his arms. “Don’t pretend like you’re so much fucking better than me, because you aren’t.”

“We are not the same. What you said doesn’t change the fact that you held on beyond the point of it being reasonable to do so. I told you that you needed to let go and you didn’t listen.” He stopped, eyes widening in realization. “You held onto me because you thought you could lift me up, but you couldn’t! You weren’t strong enough!”

Mondo felt the blood freeze in his veins. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“You… you couldn’t handle failing to hold onto me.” Taka stiffened. “You’re too stubborn to let go of anything or anyone, because if you do, that makes you weak. That’s the reason why you stormed away a few nights ago, isn’t it? You were afraid that I thought of you as cruel.”

“So... that’s it, huh? You’re saying that’s what you think of me?” The words were knives cutting through Mondo, and he felt like he was bleeding out. All he knew to do was stab back. “God, you’re the fucking worst. You’re such a… such a self-righteous piece of shit!” Mondo was shouting now, hands clenching into white-knuckled fists. “You act like you can do no wrong, with all your justice and honor bullshit!” 

“How dare you! I’m only trying to do what’s right!”

“You’re just as bad as I am! You can keep twisting the world around you all ya want, but it won’t change anything! YOU BLAME ME ‘CUZ YOU’RE TOO SELFISH TO ADMIT THAT IT’S WORTHLESS!”

“YOU’RE JUST A COWARD!” Taka screamed back, enraged tears streaming down his face. “YOU’RE TOO WEAK TO FACE YOUR FEARS, SO YOU BREAK DOWN AND RUN!”

 _CRACK!_ Mondo’s fist collided with the wall.

And the wall shifted. Crack marks jutted out from where the punch had landed. Was it just him, or did that sound a little hollow? The astonished way Kiyotaka was staring at it showed he wasn’t alone.

They looked at each other, then back at the wall. Taka waded to it. With as much force as he could muster while half-submerged in water, he slammed his shoulder against the stone. Again, it shifted.

They took turns punching, hitting, and shoving the wall, watching the cracks grow larger and more numerous. In the end, Mondo was the one who sent the last punch. The stone fragmented with one last _crack,_ before crashing onto the ground right behind it. All at once, the rising water burst out, pushing the two men out onto the cave floor. 

For a while, they sat there on the ground, thoroughly soaked and slightly stunned. Slowly, with a large amount of hesitance, they looked at each other, with the same thought in their minds.

_What now?_

___________

They sat side-by-side in silence, idly squeezing their clothes free of any dampness that remained. It was painfully obvious that they both wanted to talk, but what could be said after everything that had happened?

Kiyotaka tried planning sentences in his head to no avail. He groaned and shoved his head into his hands. Mondo scooted closer to him, still wringing out his shirt. 

Taka quickly pulled his hands away from his face and took a deep breath. "I am so, SO sorry for my outburst!" he almost shouted, voice jittery. Mondo blinked at him, taken back by the sudden interjection. "I should not have accused you of anything and I feel absolutely terrible and I know that you have no right to forgive me but..." he bowed deeply. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey, don't say that." Mondo pushed him up from his bowing position. "Hell, I should be the one apologizing." He scratched the back of his neck. "You were right. I'm shit at keeping myself in check. I shoulda let you go."

"No, don't say that!" Taka cried. "I was the one who escalated the situation. I took out my panic and frustration on you. I was a terrible friend, and I need to atone for that."

"Ya don't need to atone for shit, Taka," Mondo groaned.

"But... I said so many things I didn't mean." Taka clenched his shirt. "I should not have called you a coward, because you're incredibly brave. I should not have placed responsibility for any of this on you, because none of this is your fault. And... I never thought of you as cruel. From the moment I met you, you've always been a kind, caring, good man, and I could only ever wish to be as good of a friend as you are."

There was a beat of silence. Taka hesitantly looked to Mondo, who was staring back at him with awestruck eyes. There was also the slightest tint to his cheeks. That must have been a trick of the light, though.

"Ya shouldn't say that stuff. You're miles better than me. I'm just a guy who was wandering around with no real purpose, but you're someone who gives life meaning. You've got goals and passions and you encourage all of us to have the same. You do shit and make the world better around you. I can't compare to that."

Mondo looked down, as did Taka. Neither of them really knew how to sustain these heart-to-hearts. 

"Do you…” Taka trailed off hesitantly, before trying again. “do you think that, if the circumstances were different, we could have been real friends? If I hadn't looked at you that day we met and assumed you were a murderer."

"Or if I hadn't tried to slice yer legs off right as I heard ya speak," Mondo chuckled. "Or if I didn't assume all paladins were self-righteous nutjobs."

"Or that all barbarians are violent and uncaring," Taka finished. "If only we'd met in another time. I feel like you and I could have really been close. It’s a shame, I suppose." He frowned, then shook his head. "Forget I said anything. It's too late for that now, right?"

Mondo got to his feet and turned to the other man. There was a serious, slightly nervous look in his eyes. Taka raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

Mondo extended a hand. "Hey. The name's Mondo Owada. I'm a barbarian and I’d like to... y’know... be your friend. Or somethin’ like that. It's, uh, nice to meecha."

Taka stared at him, at a loss for words. Mondo scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'm no good at first impressions." Taka began to laugh, and the other man flushed.

Taka smiled and gripped Mondo's hand. "I am Kiyotaka Ishimaru. I am a paladin of Tyr, and I too would be happy to be friends with you." 

Mondo squeezed his hand, smiling in relief. They gripped hands for a prolonged period of time, neither one knowing if it would be okay to let go. 

"So... we're all good?" Mondo asked hesitantly. Taka nodded aggressively. They let go, shaking out their hands. The handshake had gotten a little sweaty anyways.

——————

It was a sudden shift in dynamic. No more quick jabs at Kiyotaka’s uptight demeanor or Mondo’s brashness, no more brushing aside compliments for the sake of banter. The kindness sat on the surface now, and Kiyotaka realized how much more comfortable this was than their previous arrangement. The softened look in Mondo’s eyes made his light shine a little brighter.

“While we’re out here, how about you tell me another one of your stories?” Kiyotaka said, smiling.

Mondo’s eyes crinkled. “Man, ya gotta leave some for when we’re out of here.”

“We’ve got plenty of time, and I’m sure you’ve got plenty of stories,” Taka encouraged. “Besides, Leon may be the bard-in-training among us, but you are very enjoyable to listen to! ” 

Mondo tapped his chin, furrowing his brow as he thought. After a few seconds, a grin spread across his face.

“Y’know what? I don’t think I will!” Mondo said proudly. Taka blinked at him. 

Suddenly, Mondo clapped a hand on his shoulder. “How ‘bout _you_ tell _me_ somethin’ for a change, huh?”

“M-me?” Taka sputtered. “I’m no good at telling tales. I tend to focus too much on the broader details, which makes for boring stories. There’s nothing interesting there.”

“Psh.” Mondo raised an eyebrow at the man. “For all I’ve known you, didja think I’d never notice that ya never talk about yourself?” He paused, then frowned. “Honestly, I barely know anything about you.”

Taka shrugged. “You know plenty about me. I’m not a very complex person.”

“There must’ve been a time before you took the oath, right? Tell me a bit about that.” Taka’s eyebrows went up. _I’m surprised he remembered that._

Unfortunately, that period of time was the exact reason he didn’t enjoy bringing up the past in the first place. Usually someone brought it up first, but since his friends seemed not to know, he found no harm in keeping the conversation away from those topics. Still, he could probably find some time to draw from, right?

“When I was really young, I enjoyed reading in the town library.” _That was a nice place to start, right?_ “I didn’t understand half of the books, but I didn’t mind. I liked the feeling of hearing about faraway places and cool, powerful people.”

“Ah, so you were always a learner,” Mondo said, smiling. “That’s cute. What else?”

Seeing Mondo’s curious expression made him open up more. “I always helped the chef with cooking. It wasn’t my obligation. At first I only stayed in the kitchen to find some company, but eventually I tried to learn the techniques. That’s where I learned to cook.”

“You had a personal chef?” Mondo asked, astounded.

Kiyotaka bit his lip. “I lived very comfortably for the first chapter of my life.” He paused, then vaguely elaborated a little. “My family had a high standing in the town. We weren’t quite nobility, but certainly had some luxuries.”

“Damn, that sounds sweet. D’ya miss it?”

“No!” His answer was immediate. “My life now is not as secure, but I can rest assured that I am making a difference somewhere. I would not trade any of this for the world! The importance of leaving a positive impact far outweighs a life of comfort!”

“Wow.” Mondo chuckled warmly. “Damn. I always knew ya were this way, but now I’m completely sure of it. You really are the most heroic person I know.”

The warm feeling faded instantly from Kiyotaka’s chest. “Don’t call me that.” 

“Call you what? Heroic?”

His voice raised in volume. “I am most definitely not a hero, so don’t refer to me as such!” His voice echoed slightly through the corridor. Mondo gaped at him.

Kiyotaka sighed, quieting his voice. “I apologize. You must not have meant anything by it.”

“I didn’t, but uhh… I’m really friggin’ confused. I mean… what about heroes sets you off like that?”

He pressed his lips together. It was no surprise the conversation ended up here, was it? “Mondo, can I trust you to keep a secret? The answer to your question is something I prefer not to talk about, but… I know you are someone who I can trust.”

Mondo nodded. “I won’t tell a soul. I promise.”

Some of the tension in Taka’a brow left after hearing the assuredness of Mondo’s agreement. He could tell him. “My grandfather was a very famous adventurer. He traveled all over the land doing incredible deeds and saving the lives of many. In almost every sense of the word, he was a hero; courageous, noble, daring. I idolized him, so did many others.”

Mondo frowned. “You’re sayin’ that, but your face is telling a whole different story.” 

“Yes, well… different people have different reasons for pursuing their dreams. Some yearn for contentment, others search for the greater good, and others still are in it only for their own selfish gains.” Kiyotaka’s hands tightened into fists. “But the most despicable are those who betray their own morals. To live a life of pure hatred is one thing. To have goodness within your heart, then choosing to throw it all away it is another.” 

“And your grandfather…?”

“He was one of those men. He allowed the power to get into his head, and he used it to do horrible, horrible things. When his actions were uncovered, all of the admiration and love he had earned over the years shriveled into dust. He died cold and alone, abandoned by everyone.”

Mondo’s eyes widened. “Damn.”

Kiyotaka shook his head. “I can only pity him now, but the betrayal left a mark that lingered for years. My family lost everything they had. I was young at the time, but I swore something to myself. I would never let myself become a hero fighting for a place in legend.”

“If you’re not a hero, then… what are you?”

“I’m only a man fighting for what’s right! I couldn't care less about wealth or power or fame!” Taka placed a hand over his heart. “If I could die knowing I could make the world a better place, I would be perfectly content. That is my reason to fight, and I will never stray from that path!”

He took a deep breath, having finally released his story. 

Mondo stared at him for a long time, a thoughtful light in his eyes. A huge smile broke across his face. “Holy shit. Daiya would fucking love you.”

“H-huh? Your brother?”

“It’s the weirdest fuckin’ thing.” He swung an arm around Kiyotaka’s shoulders. “He was always the moral one, y’know. Always rushing in to help people, no matter what it took. And whenever they’d try to repay him, he'd brush it off, sayin’ somethin about how it was just the right thing to do.”

“Really?”

Mondo laughed, almost glowing. “Now I know you’re both stupidly humble! It’s amazing! God, when he sees you—!“

Mondo cut himself off, his body stiffening. “If… if he could see you... he would’ve prolly been really, really happy. Yeah.” He pulled his arm back, holding it awkwardly with his other hand.

Kiyotaka stepped closer to him, touching his shoulder gently. Mondo jerked up, meeting his eyes. “You miss him… don’t you?”

“I-I…” The slightest flicker of sorrow flared in the man’s eyes before his brow hardened. “I’m fine. I don’t wanna worry ya.”

“You aren’t worrying me. Missing your brother isn’t a sign of weakness.”

Mondo swallowed deeply. “I know that, it’s just…” He sighed, lowering his head. “I’m stronger than this. Can’t let it drag me down. I gotta be that person he wanted me to be.” His shoulders slumped down. “But there’s this stupid pit in my chest whenever I see somethin’ that makes me think of him and it _hurts_ , dammit! What the hell am I s’posed to do about that?” 

“Mondo, It’s important to let yourself grieve. Emotional wounds are still wounds. It’s like a broken arm, in a way. You must take care of it, give it a chance to heal.” Kiyotaka smiled, giving Mondo’s shoulder a squeeze. “And you aren’t in this alone. I’m here for you, and so are Leon and Chihiro. You were here for all of us, weren’t you?”

Mondo returned a half-smile. “That’s different. I just did that ‘cuz I like seeing you guys happy. You never owed me anything. Besides… there’s not much you can do.” His voice got quiet. “It’s not something that friends can fix. Nothing’ll bring him back.”

The conversation died out. Taka pursed his lips. Maybe Mondo was right, nothing _could_ bring Daiya back. And yet… now that he knew that Mondo was carrying this weight with him, something deep resonated through Kiyotaka. A sense of duty and determination, yet a different feeling entirely. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but if one thing was clear, it was that he wouldn’t let Mondo go through this alone. A spark burst into flame in his heart. He lifted his head, speaking suddenly. “But what if... we could be more than friends?”

Mondo tripped over his feet. “W-what? Huh?!” 

“I am saying that we should become brothers! Not in the physical sense, but in spirit! Your burdens will be mine to shoulder, so you’ll no longer be alone!” 

Mondo’s eyes widened. “But… I mean… why?”

“Because I truly want to help you, Mondo. You are a good man. I can’t bring Daiya back, but I promise you that I’ll do my best to support you in the way that he did.” Kiyotaka said decidedly. He mulled over the idea with a smile, the concept coming into focus. “I must warn you, I might struggle at points. I have never had a brother before. However, that’s no reason to give up!”

“Taka…”

Kiyotaka stopped. “Oh. I am getting very, _very_ ahead of myself here. How brash of me!” He bowed deeply. “I apologize!”

Mondo chuckled, patting him on the back. “Ya gotta stop with the apologies. It’s not like I’m mad at you.”

Kiyotaka pouted. “Maybe you should be. That was a very intrusive suggestion, was it not?”

“Well, yeah, sure.” He poked Kiyotaka in the chest. “But it’s _you_ we’re talkin’ about here. I mean, normally I’d freak out about someone saying that kinda stuff. When you say it, though, you do it with all this _passion_. Like you’ve set your goddamn heart to it. Shit, how could I be mad at you for that?” He moved his hand up, placing it on Taka’s shoulder. He lowered his eyes. “Honestly, it’s pretty stupid how touched I am. You’re... really something else.”

“Something else…” Kiyotaka echoed fondly. A breathless chuckle escaped him, not really knowing how to respond to something like that. Eventually, he just let his smile tell the story, hoping that Mondo could understand the meaning. When Mondo glanced over, his own lips quirking upwards, Taka knew that he did.

Distantly, a deep rumble sounded. Mondo’s eyes flitted past Taka, and his brow furrowed. “Shit. I think it’s happening again.” 

They met eyes, and Kiyotaka grabbed his hand. “We can’t be too far from the exit now. Hold onto me.”

Mondo gripped back tightly as they broke into a run. Within the chaos of the tunnel folding in on itself, despite the dust clouding everything in their path, Kiyotaka found an anchor in the other man’s grip. They needed to push forward. They were going to survive this.

The walls curved outward, opening to a wider area. Kiyotaka clutched his pendant, furiously willing it to glow past the obscuring clouds surrounding them.

He turned to Mondo. “Keep an eye open for the passage out!”

The other man turned his head, sights landing on something in the dust. “I think we’ve got bigger problems, Taka.”

Kiyotaka followed his gaze. Two lights pierced through, orange eyes staring back at the two of them. A shape morphed into being. The stone rose and shifted, creating limbs and a body. 

“That’s a rock elemental. Which explains the spikes and the constant shaking of this place,” Kiyotaka mused.

The creature screeched, slamming a fist into the ground. Mondo yanked on Taka’s arm, pulling him away from the splitting ground. With a crash, the entrance caved in. 

The two of them dove behind a boulder. The elemental scanned the area. “No weapons, no armor, and a pissed off rock monster coming to kill us!” Mondo hissed. “We’re fuckin’ screwed!”

Kiyotaka searched the room before the dust once again surrounded them. He spotted two pickaxes across the way, and absentmindedly rubbed his pendant as a plan formed in his mind. He grabbed onto Mondo’s hand again. “We can do this, Mondo. We have a chance.”

“Wait, d’ya really think so?”

“We have each others’ backs. You promised me that much.” He pulled the glowing pendant off of his head. “Can you trust me on this?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah.” The other man’s breathing slowed. “Whatever you’ve got planned, I believe in ya.” 

Kiyotaka nodded, smiling. He spun the glowing pendant in his fingers as the room once again became obscured, with only the light of the enemy’s eyes providing any illumination. _Perfect._

He pulled his arm back, took in a deep breath, and, with all his might, threw the pendant across the room. The glow faded into the cloud, and the elemental’s glow followed. There wasn’t a second to waste as Kiyotaka pulled Mondo into the shadowed area. 

He felt around the wall, desperately searching for a handle to grip onto. A small lurch shook the room, and the white pendant shot up, a spike shooting right through the chain.

Mondo passed the pickaxe into Taka’s hands. “Ya wanted to get these, right? I see your thinkin’ now.”

Kiyotaka murmured a small prayer, and his pickaxe lit up with a white magic. “You know what to do?”

“All that’s left is to hit ‘em right between the eyes, right?” He let out a short chuckle. “Ya gotta trust me with that much, man.”

Kiyotaka gave him a confident smile. “I believe in you, Mondo.” With a last assured nod, he rushed into the haze. 

—————

Mondo watched the light of Kiyotaka’s weapon fade out of focus before creeping into the darkness. It was nearly impossible to see anything, save for the indistinct flashes of orange and white. He heard a screech, followed by the sound of rocks crashing together. Gritting his teeth, he followed the sound, careful to not step within the elemental’s eyeline.

It wasn’t easy, as the orange lights scanned with a predatory focus. The eyes spun around. Mondo barely dove backwards, coughing as the dust filled his mouth. 

“Hey!” Kiyotaka yelled. The creature twisted back, searching for the source of the noise. It let out a shriek as it spotted the light of the paladin’s weapon. Both of its stony arms thrust into the ground. Columns of stone jutted out of the ground. The sound of steel striking rock resonated through the area, and Kiyotaka cried out.

Mondo released a roar, striking his pickaxe into the monster’s head. It faltered under the force, makeshift body beginning to fragment. The barbarian grunted, forcing the pick deeper, until the head crumbled in two. Devoid of life, the rocks clattered to the ground. He panted, falling forwards as the dust began to clear.

He cupped his mouth. “Hey! Taka! We got ‘em!” He looked around for the other man, but couldn’t spot him. Frowning, he picked up the glowing pendant. “Uh… Taka?”

Somewhere nearby, he heard a few stones shift. A quiet cough sounded, and Mondo ran over. Beneath the rubble and debris laid his friend, half buried underneath a column of stone. His red eyes focused on Mondo, and he weakly smiled.

It took a fair bit of strength and tugging to get Kiyotaka free, but Mondo managed. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you... can you stand?”

Taka attempted to move himself, but groaned in pain. Mondo rushed forward in a panic, holding him upright. Taka coughed again, slumping down. He shook his head.

Mondo could feel himself starting to get frantic. “C’mon, man, don’t do this to me… can ya heal yourself?”

Another head shake. “I-I… used up my magic on us… when we first fell down here… remember?”

His arms tightened around Taka. “Dammit, ya shouldn’t’ve… agh, shit, if I were better I could’ve—”

“Shh.” Kiyotaka‘s voice was hoarse. “You won in the end. That’s… that’s what matters.”

“Nah. _We_ won. Both of us, together. I mean, how the hell could I win that without you, bro?”

Despite his pain, a grin spread across Taka’s face. “You… you called me—!“

Mondo chuckled, shaking his head. “Of course I did. Don’t ya know I wanna support you too?” He shut his eyes tightly, cursing himself. “God, I wasted all this time acting like I never cared, but dammit, I did. I always did. But you _know_ that; you see right through me and I… I...” His voice faltered. He could feel Taka’s breaths becoming shaky. “I’m gonna make it up to you. I’m gonna get us outta here, and when we’re free... we’ll be brothers in spirit, okay?”

Kiyotaka gave the slightest of nods. His voice was barely a whisper. “Promise?” 

“I promise.” 

Taka’s eyelids drifted closed. His lips quirked into one last smile before his body relaxed in Mondo’s grip. The man cursed softly, holding Taka close to him. 

He could still feel the slow rhythm of Taka’s heart under his hand. If he listened closely, he could even hear the slow inhale and exhale of his breathing...

And a faint chorus of birds.

Mondo sat up quickly. No, he wasn’t crazy, that was _definitely_ the sound of birds he was hearing. And if birds were singing… _well, looks like freedom’s within our reach_. He looked around, finally spotting one open tunnel across the room.

He maneuvered his hands beneath the unconscious body. Carefully, he lifted Taka’s head so it was balanced against his chest.

“Hold on just a bit longer, bro,” Mondo murmured. His friend now safely in his arms, he sprinted through the tunnel. Up at the end of it was a white light, calling out for him distantly. 

Each step echoed around him, each breath heavy and worn. And yet, when he looked down at Taka, his resolve only hardened. Every promise he’d made to that man rang through his mind. He couldn’t fall now, not when he had so many promises to keep. 

So he persevered, despite the aching pains that dragged him down. _Just a little bit further. I gotta push just a little bit further._

—————

“So, wait, if Alter Ego is like a little version of you, does that mean you could make a little version of me?”

Chihiro did another sit-up, then paused. “I mean... I guess it’s possible? It might take awhile for him to act like you, though. You’d need a really strong bond for it to work.”

Leon thumbed one of the lute strings until it was on tune. Wind rustled against the leaves of the tree above his head. They had picked out a good spot to wait: a nice hill at the intersection of all the roads, with a tall tree providing shade. He snapped his fingers. “Okay okay, how about this? A BUNCH of little Leons, all with cute little instruments. And they’re like, a band or something. Would that be the coolest thing ever or what?”

Chihiro seriously considered it for a second. “Would we even be able to hear the instruments though? If they’re that small, who would they perform for?”

“I mean, Alter Ego would like it, right?” Alter Ego looked up at the mention of his name, and nodded in agreement. Chihiro laughed, shifting to sit more comfortably on the grass.

Something caught his eye, and he stood. “Wait, Leon. Look over there.”

Leon pushed himself off of the tree, standing next to Chihiro. _Yup, that looks like a person._ The figure looked like they were running their way. Leon squinted. “Wait… is that…?”

Chihiro pulled on his sleeve. “It is! Look at the hair! That’s gotta be Mondo!” 

The two of them waved aggressively, yelling his name. And yet, he didn’t wave back, continuing to run their way. Leon put his arm down, narrowing his eyes. _Rude._ But as the man ran closer, Leon noticed the shape in his arms.

His heart stopped for a moment. 

“Holy SHIT TAKA NEEDS HELP!” He yelled. “Chihiro! Quick, do some healing stuff!” The cleric made a frantic noise of affirmation, clearing a space for them to lay the man down. Leon, on the other hand, was already barreling down the hill. “DON’T WORRY GUYS, I’M COMING!

Leon caught up to Mondo, picking up the unconscious man in his arms. “He needs… heal… quick.” Mondo could barely get the message out between his hoarse voice and heaving breaths. Leon nodded, carrying Taka up the hill to Chihiro.

The cleric clasped his hands together, summoning a flash of green light. 

—————

Kiyotaka’s eyes fluttered open, taking in a beautiful blue sky. A soft wind pushed against him. There was a moment of relief as his eyes refocused, adjusting to daylight’s brightness.

But with a jolt, everything came back to him. _The cave! The elemental! If I’m out here, then…_

“Mondo!” He sat up abruptly, then felt two sets of hands resting on his shoulders.

“Woah! Dude, chill! Don’t rush yourself!”

“Are you okay? Are your wounds fixed? I did my best, but…”

He relaxed, looking around at Leon and Chihiro’s concerned faces. He’d missed them.

“Yes, I’m okay. Thank you, Chihiro, for healing me.”

The cleric laughed softly. “As much as I’d like to take the credit, I think Mondo’s the one you should be thanking. He’s the one who carried you all the way out here.”

The three of them turned to look at the slope, where Mondo was staggering upwards. He dropped to his knees beside the paladin. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you’re okay, bro. I was so, so friggin worried, man.”

Kiyotaka squeezed back. “I’m only here because of your bravery! You carried me here, did you not?”

“C’mon, I know ya would’ve done the same for me. I made you a promise, didn’t I?”

Kiyotaka grinned. “I never doubted you, bro! I knew you could do it!”

Leon passed Mondo a waterskin as they pulled apart. He eyed the both of them warily. “Alright, something’s up. You’re being awfully chummy with each other.” He narrowed his eyes. “You gonna tell us what happened in the cave?”

Kiyotaka met Mondo’s eyes, and they exchanged a knowing look. The barbarian chuckled. “Nope.” He looked at Chihiro, briskly changing the subject. “How’d training go? Did you keep at it without us?”

Chihiro gave a small salute. “Yup! Every day! I did everything just the way you taught me! It was hard, but… I made sure to push myself. Leon even helped me out sometimes!” The elf beamed.

“Eh, you didn’t need my help,” Leon said, waving a hand. “I spent most of the time kinda doing my own thing. Goofing off, plucking the old lute, you get it.” 

Chihiro leaned over to Taka and Mondo. “He’s been working hard on his playing too. It’s improved a lot!”

“R-really?” Leon sat up a little straighter. “I mean, yeah, I’ve learned a few new tricks. No biggie.”

“Now that ya said that, we’d better hear it at some point, yeah?” Mondo said. Leon laughed, rubbing the back of his neck almost bashfully.

Alter Ego ran into Mondo’s leg, arms spread out in an attempt to hug it. He cupped his hands and lifted the golem onto his shoulder. Taka took notice, smiling softly in their direction. “It’s… really nice to be back. We missed you.” 

“Aww, we missed you too,” Chihiro said with a smile. “It just wasn’t the same without you guys here.”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Leon rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Plus, we’re terrible cooks. I’ve got no clue how we made it before meeting you two.”

“Y’know, on that note, I’m starved.” Mondo nudged Taka. “Do you wanna help me whip something up?”

“Of course!” Kiyotaka said. “We can do it together!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand with that, Act 1 draws to a close. Man, what a wild ride it was. Unfortunately, that means I'm gonna take a mini hiatus to get started on Act 2. There are gonna be 4 Acts total so we've only just begun.  
> To help tide you guys over a teeny bit, I've actually got a little surprise! Aside from writing this, another hobby I have is writing soundtrack-type music (hence the username hehe). So I actually made an official We'll Go Forward and Beyond main theme! [Give it a listen if you like!](https://youtu.be/Jc3IiNrNQc8)
> 
> Story Notes:  
> \- In a fantasy world where magic is real, Genius doesn't hold the same weight as it does in the real world. But hating geniuses is such a big part of Taka's character that I had to put it in the story somewhere, so I ended up switching it to hating Heroes.  
> \- I like to think that Leon and Chihiro are the type of friends to get in long-winded discussions with stupid hypotheticals, where Leon's the one who pitches the idea and Chihiro is the one to seriously consider it.  
> \- Thus far, I've been trying to follow a rule of having two POVs every arc to try and keep the story tied down. Alas, I had to break it with that little chunk at the end. Eh, it was worth it to have another scene with the dudes.
> 
> See you in about a month!
> 
> UPDATE: Hey guys, Striker_of_Chords here! Yeah, I can’t believe I said “update in a month” because damn, school hit me like a truck and I’ve been really busy and stressed.   
> That being said, I’m definitely still working on this. It’s my passion project after all. There’s a whole lot more story to go, and I won’t stop until I’ve gotten it told!


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